James Franco says in an interview, I dont smoke pot. Im not gay

09/09/2010 by Kristina Lopez

James Franco on the cover of the October issue of The Advocate (The Advocate)

In a new interview with The Advocate, James Franco talks about industry rumors on his sexuality and other perceptions of him.

Everyone thinks I'm a stoner, and some people think I'm gay because I've played these gay roles, the actor tells the magazine. That's what people think, but it's not true. I don't smoke pot. I'm not gay.

Franco, who graces the October cover of the magazine, has played a homosexual character in 2008s Academy Award-winning film Milk and stars as the iconic gay poet Allen Ginsberg in upcoming film Howl.

Sure, Id tell you if I was [gay]. I guess the reason I wouldnt is because Id be worried that it would hurt my career, the actor tells the magazine. I suppose thats the reason one wouldnt do that, right? But no, that wouldnt be something that would deter me. Im going to do projects that I want to do.

Why does Franco go after the roles? He tells the magazine, In this history of cinema, there are so many heterosexual love stories. It's so hammered, so done. He adds, It's just not that interesting to me. It's more interesting to me to play roles and relationships that haven't been portrayed as often."

The actor has branched outside the sliver screen in recent years, enrolling in Columbia University, New York University, and teaching at Yale, but what gave the actors agents the greatest cause for objection was taking his role on General Hospital, where he portrays a serial killer by the name of Franco.

"You want to know what my agents did try to talk me out of? General Hospital, he told the magazine. They didn't think me acting in a soap opera was the greatest idea.