NYU has filed court papers siding with actor James Franco in a lawsuit filed by a disgruntled former teacher.
José Angel Santana — who taught at NYU’s graduate film school — sued Franco in September after the Oscar-nominated actor bashed him to reporters as an “awful” teacher.
Santana charged he was let go after giving Franco a “D” in his course. He noted that the actor had missed 12 of 14 classes.
But NYU came to the “127 Hours” star’s aid in papers filed Tuesday in Manhattan Supreme Court by saying, “Franco’s comments constituted pure opinion and cannot constitute defamation.”
The school added that Santana’s notion that Franco — who himself has taught there — was speaking for NYU has no merit.
“No reasonable person would conclude that the statements were made in the scope of his NYU employment,” the papers said.
Santana, who was let go in September 2011 from the $70,000-a-year job, has also filed suit against NYU.