Between directing hits and leading ensembles, Dave Franco built an enviable Hollywood resume, yet he still can’t escape the foul-mouthed soccer joke that launched his career in Superbad.
How a Failed Audition Landed Dave Franco His Iconic Superbad Role
Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Franco looked back on the 20th anniversary of Superbad, which marked his official feature film debut. Tthe actor revealed that he originally auditioned for a completely different bit part before landing the high school antagonist who takes physical education far too seriously.
“The first role that I initially auditioned for was the douchebag who loogies on Jonah Hill‘s shirt,” Franco shared. “They were like, ‘Alright, that’s not quite right for you, but we have this other douchebag character who takes… P.E. soccer way too seriously’.”
That recast set up a brief, legendary playground clash with Jonah Hill’s character, Seth, capped by a profane, humiliating one-liner that instantly cemented itself in pop-culture history.
“Jonah has a line in that movie where he says to me, ‘Why don’t you go piss yourself again?’ And this line has followed me for 20 years,” Franco said with a laugh. “And I’m realizing, ‘Is this my legacy? Am I Piss Boy for the rest of my life? Is that the clip that’s playing at my in memoriam?’“
Fallon confirmed the enduring power of the insult, noting that fans still regularly scream the jab at Franco in public spaces like Yankee Stadium.
Even so, Franco looks back on the experience with genuine gratitude. While the Piss Boy tag remains immortalized, the low-stakes high school comedy served as the foundation for his entire Hollywood career, sparking lifelong friendships and recurring creative partnerships with Hill and Seth Rogen that continue to this day.
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