Franzese was born in Bensonhurst, New York, the son of Denise, a lunch lady, and Ralph "R. J." Franzese, a lounge singer. Franzese attended Piper High School in Sunrise, Florida from 1992 to 1996. His mother was a lunch lady at the school.

On October 12, 2007, Franzese curated his first art show called Halloween, a multi-artist show which examined Celebrity, Vanity, money and the day we get to dress up and ask strangers for goodies.

On April 25, 2008, at the World of Wonder Storefront Gallery in Los Angeles, California, Franzese curated an art show called depARTed. The show featured art inspired by stars that died before their time. All art was inspired by famous personalities from Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, James Dean and Anna Nicole Smith to notable figures like Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr., to artists like Keith Haring and Isabella Blow. Artists included Ron English, Keyth Ryden (also known as KRK Ryden), and Jessicka.

Franzese's show, Crusaders and Haters, at Royal/T gallery showcased an assortment of work from artists from all over the world, depicting superheroes and villains in pop culture. The show opened July 17, 2009.

After penning a coming out letter to his Mean Girls character Damian in 2014, in which the actor spoke of his admiration for the courage Damian displayed as an outwardly gay teenager and referring to him as an icon for gay youth, Franzese became an influential voice in the LGBTQ community. When he became an official ambassador for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, organization’s like GLAAD invited Franzese to host their 2015 gala in San Francisco. He also presented the GLAAD playbook on HIV and AIDS to MSNBC on behalf of the organization. His reputation as an Activist grew after he was awarded the role of Eddie in the HBO series Looking, an HIV-positive Activist for a non-profit organization and during his time portraying Eddie, Daniel used his Celebrity to promote messages of acceptance and understanding for people suffering from AIDS. at special events, through media appearances and a speeches at college campuses, including The University of Wisconsin in April 2016.

In 2015 he was cast as Eddie in the HBO series Looking; and in 2016 he landed the role of Vern Testaverde in the ABC Family's Recovery Road. In 2016 and early 2017, he portrayed Jackson Morrison in ABC’s legal drama Conviction.

In 2016, Franzese proposed to his boyfriend of two years, Stylist Joseph Bradley Phillips, at a Starbucks in North Hollywood, California.

Franzese has written, directed and performed several live comedy productions, including his one-man Off-Broadway show, I’ve Never Really Made the Kind of Money to Become a Mess, which premiered in New York in 2013 at The Players Theater, and his 2011 rock opera JERSEY SHORESICAL: A FRICKIN ROCK OPERA! which also premiered in New York at The Fringe Festival before its run in Los Angeles at the Hayworth Theatre. Franzese is also an emerging stand-up Comedian, and has performed on stages across America at clubs like Stand Up Live in Phoenix and the Comedy Store in Hollywood.