James Franco to play ex-gay activist Michael Glatze in movie?

Los Angeles:Funnyman James Franco will reportedly play a real-life controversial figure in his next film. The 35-year-old actor is tapped to play former-gay advocate, Michael Glatze, in a movie produced by Gus Van Sant. It will start shooting in New York in July, reportedly.

Glatze, who founded Young Gay America (YGA) magazine, had also made a documentary film, "Jim in Bold", to tackle gay teen suicide. Franco previously worked with Van Sant in 2008`s "Milk". The actor played gay rights activist, Scott Smith, the love interest to Sean Penn`s Harvey Milk, while Van Sant served behind the lens. Franco also played gay poet, Allen Ginsberg, in 2010`s "Howl". "It`s not like it`s my mission to tell the stories of as many gay men as possible, although in some cases, I think it is the point. I guess that a lot of the figures that I love were gay," Franco had said.