James Franco On Sexuality: ‘I’m Gay … Up To A Point’
Hollywood actor James Franco has opened up on the reason why he has open views on sexuality. He even admitted he is gay in his most recent interview with Rolling Stone.
According to the 127 Hours actor, rumors about him being gay started to fire up when he did a film with Star Trek actor Zachary Quinto last year. Their film, I Am Michael, was about a gay activist and magazine founder who was “saved” from being gay after he “turned to God.” The indie film included Emma Roberts, Lesley Ann Warren, Avan Jogia, Leven Rambin, and more.
Gay Star News reported that James Franco is quite obsessed in the narration of gay roles. At some point, this view on James Franco helped him in dating women.
In his interview with Rolling Stone, James Franco has explained his “artistic preoccupation” with homosexuality. Franco is very active in terms of choosing the roles he will be playing and the films he will be participating in. With his active decisions in these roles, people cannot help but wonder if he really is gay.
Apparently, James Franco got interested in the topic when he explored this issue in a biopic project he did while he was just studying at the New York University.
“When I was studying at NYU, I took classes in critical studies, and one of my favorites was on queer cinema. We’ve told the straight, heteronormative stories ad nauseam by now, in our movies, our shows, our commercials – everywhere. I think it’s healthy to make work that disrupts and questions that, and shows alternative narratives. That’s what an artist should do.”
However, it seemed that James Franco is just a really good actor, because he was able to portray gay roles with finesse and class. James Franco also said that he is only gay “in my art” but “straight in my life.”
“I’m also gay in my life up to the point of intercourse.”
Though James Franco has already denied these rumors and clarified the issue, people are still wondering if he is really straight since he has “posted numerous homoerotic shots of him” on Instagram, according to Rolling Stone. He even has photos of him in bikini briefs with oil all over his body. James Franco even pushes the curiosity of his fans by posting captions like, “a way of finding out what boundaries are and pressing buttons.”
In 2008, James Franco had already been in a more serious rumor about his sexuality when Gawker referred to him as a “gay rapist.”
“Gawker picked it up, and other sites picked it up, and we said, ‘You know, you should take it down,’ ” James Franco noted.
When he contacted the team, they offered him an opportunity to respond, but he noted that he felt like he was trapped in a corner. “It felt like, if I do a lawsuit, it’s just gonna give it more attention.”
James Franco claimed that these rumors then turned on as his “shield.”
“One of the nice things about all that speculation … is that it’s a smokescreen”
James Franco’s homosexual film, I Am Michael, has been featured on the Sundance Film Festival and the London LGBT Film Festival.
[Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images]
