'I'm embarrassed... social media is tricky': Hollywood star James Franco admits 'bad judgment' after trying to seduce Scottish teenager on Instagram

On Friday James Franco admitted he tried to meet teen he connected with on Instagram

Actor asked Lucy Clode of Scotland, 17, her age and if she had a boyfriend

Student at prestigious Dollar Academy asked star to send proof it was him

Star then posted two selfies, including one with her name written on note

Also asked her in message later published online: 'Should I rent a room?'

'I'm embarrassed. I'm just a model of how social media is tricky,' he said on Friday's Live with Kelly and Michael

Many thought it was a late April Fool's joke or bizarre marketing campaign for his upcoming film where he plays a teacher who has a sexual relationship with one of his teenage students







James Franco has admitted today that he did try to pick up a Scottish schoolgirl using Instagram after his embarrassing attempts to woo her went viral earlier in the week.



The Spiderman star, 35, said he had shown 'bad judgment' for chatting up Lucy Clode, 17, from Dollar in Clackmannanshire, after she went to watch him in Of Mice And Men on Broadway in New York.

After she shared a photo on Instagram a ‘flirty’ exchange of messages followed, in which he asked her age, if she had a boyfriend and if he should 'rent a room'.



The teenager, a pupil at the exclusive independent school Dollar Academy, shared screengrabs,

which included two pictures Franco sent of himself to verify she was not speaking with an imposter.



'I'm embarrassed and I guess I'm just a model of how social media is tricky,' the actor said on Friday morning, debunking theories that the exchange had been either an April Fool's Day prank or part of a viral campaign for his latest film



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Coming clean: James Franco admitted that he did try contacting her on Instagram and asked her to meet him at a hotel only to find out that she was a 17-years-old schoolgirl

Meeting: Lucy Clode (above) shared this video on Instagram with James in the background following a March 2014 performance

Franco did not address the fact that the object of his internet affection was half his age, but he was the one to bring up the incident on 'Live with Kelly and Michael' and said that he did not expect the conversation to be shared.



'It's the way that people meet each other today, but what I've learned- I guess because I'm new to it- is you don't know who's on the other end,' he said.



'You get a feel for them, you don't know who you're talking to.



'I used bad judgement and I learned my lesson.'

Franco's admission this morning gave the controversy credibility after many initially thought it was a delayed April Fool's prank or some bizarre form of viral marketing for his upcoming film where Franco, playing a teacher, strikes up a sexual relationship with his teenage student, played by Emma Roberts.



During the Friday morning talk show appearance, however, Franco said that it was just his way of trying to meet a young woman.



'Unfortunately in my position, not only do I have to go through the embarrassing rituals of meeting someone, but if I do that, then it gets published for the world so it's doubly embarrassing,' he said.





What's going on here?: Schoolgirl Lucy Clode, 17, has claimed James Franco tried to meet up with her in a series of Instagram and text messages

Striking up conversation: James allegedly started chatting to Lucy after meeting her outside the the theatre where he was performing Of Mice And Men on Broadway

Not wasting any time: The actor appears to start asking Lucy how old she is and whether she has a boyfriend

Miss Clode, who attends prestigious independent school Dollar Academy in Clackmannanshire, reached for her mobile and took some pictures of the star, and then turned the lens on herself and took some ‘selfies’ with the 35-year-old box office hit in the background.

It is understood that Franco spotted Miss Clode taking the photos and shouted to her that she should put the photographs on the online picture-sharing site Instagram and ‘tag’ him so he would be alerted to them.

In the Instagram screengrabs, Franco works fast to establish where Miss Clode is from and how long she will be in New York.

He then seems to fire off three questions in quick succession: ‘You’re 18?’ ‘Who are you with?’ and ‘Do you have a bf (boyfriend)?’

Making a move: The alleged messages show James asking Lucy if he should 'rent a room' in her hotel and attempts to convince her it is really him

'Don't tell': The teen asks the star to send her a photo of himself holding a piece of paper with her name on, which he apparently does

Miss Clode replies: ‘Nearly 18, my mum and not if you’re around.’

Franco then asks exactly when her birthday is and where she is staying in New York.

The conversation then appeared to switch to text message, and Franco asks ‘Can I see you? You’re single? What’s the hotel? Should I rent a room?’

When Miss Clode, from Dollar, voices concerns the conversation could be an April Fool by an imposter, Franco posts a picture of himself to prove it is genuine.

The sensible teen then decides: ‘I’ll come back when I’m 18.’

Franco responds: ‘If you don’t want to meet text me when you do.’

The screenshots of the conversation have taken Twitter and US gossip sites by storm – although it is unclear whether they are genuine or not, and fans claimed they could just be a publicity stunt.

'Why are you thirsty for underage ones?': James tweeted this after the news broke but later deleted it

Publicity stunt?: Lucy shared this photo in Times Square on Instagram. James' alleged actions could be to promote his new movie Palo Alto, in which he plays a soccer coach who seduces his 14-year-old babysitter

'Not if you're around': Lucy, who also posted this photo of herself and her mother, apparently told James she was 'nearly 18' and that it didn't matter whether or not she had a boyfriend

It is worth noting that Franco’s next film is the story of a high school teacher who is dating one of his pupils – and several eagle-eyed online commentators last night floated the suggestion that the exchange with Miss Clode could be a sophisticated joke.

One man who has come out of the story very well is Miss Clode’s boyfriend Brodie Dickson – an 18-year-old fellow Dollar Academy pupil who seemed pleased to have beaten Franco in the love stakes.

During a conversation with a friend posted on Instagram, Miss Clode said: 'James Franco asked me to meet him alone Romy! It was really him and I rejected him!! [what] am I doing?!'

She then added: 'I am going to regret this for years - it's given me a confidence boost though lol.'



The age of consent in New York is 17, so even if the exchange is genuine, Franco is not doing anything wrong in the eyes of the law – but his actions drew criticism from fans last night.



