James Franco Ambushes Aron Ralston on 'Minute to Win It'

Entertainment Tonight, Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 10:46pm (PST)

It took Aron Ralston '127 Hours' to escape from a mountain climbing accident, but it only took him a "Minute to Win It" on Wednesday night. James Franco, who portrayed the heroic outdoorsman in the Oscar nominated film, gave the contestant some words of encouragement.

After failing to complete a task, host Guy Fieri cued a special video message from Franco. He said, "Keep your wits about you because you're going to kill it."

Ralston praised the actor, calling him "friendly" and "brilliant." "He's an incredible artist, as well as being very genuine," he said. "The way he portrayed me, I felt very honored by that." Despite the tears and heartache endured during his days in a crevice of the Earth, forcing him to amputate a portion of his own arm, Ralston is able to laugh about aspects of his harrowing experience. He joked that Franco made him appear to be a better mountain biker than he is in reality.

Seeking to give back to the environment that has become his lifelong tale of inspiration, Ralston raised $125,000 for his charity of choice, Wilderness Workshop. "Minute to Win It" airs Wednesday nights on NBC.

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