Quantcast

James Franco as Alan Ginsberg

Posted by Ryan Adams On June - 8 - 2009

franco-ginsberg

[UPDATE: Thanks a million to Joao Mattos for sending us the original Ginsberg-Orlovsky photo on which the Franco-Tveit pose is modeled. Great catch!]

Did the dueling Truman Capote biopics 3 years ago open the floodgates on films bringing the significance of contemporary gay history out of the closet? Alex Billington at Firstshowing.net has this photo of James Franco as Beat Generation poet Alan Ginsberg and Aaron Tveit his longtime companion Peter Orlovsky. Check out this fabulous cast:

James Franco … Allen Ginsberg
Aaron Tveit … Peter Orlovsky
Mary-Louise Parker … Gail Potter
Jeff Daniels … Professor David Kirk
David Strathairn … Ralph McIntosh
Jon Hamm … Jake Ehrlich
Alessandro Nivola … Luther Nichols
Treat Williams … Mark Schorer
Bob Balaban … ?

The movie involves the obscenity charges faced by Ginsberg after the publication of his seminal poem. Howl is exec produced by Gus Van Sant, and directed by Rob Epstein (The Times of Harvey Milk) and Jeffrey Friedman (The Celluloid Closet). No distributor yet, so we might not see it until 2010.

Another photo of Alan Ginsberg and his lifelong partner Peter Orlovsy, after the cut.

orlovsky-ginsberg

  • Filed under: AWARDS CHATTER
  • |
  • Tags: ,

  • | |

    31 Responses for "James Franco as Alan Ginsberg"

    1. Ryan Adams June 8th, 2009 at 9:19 am 1

      Beavis: Heh heh heh, you said ’seminal poem.’

      =====

      The first couple of kittens I ever had were named Burroughs and Ginsberg.

    2. chrisw June 8th, 2009 at 10:37 am 2

      eh

    3. RRA is a Ghetto Defendent June 8th, 2009 at 10:40 am 3

      I first knew of Ginsberg with his vocal cameo in that The Clash tune “Ghetto Defendent.”

      Loved David Cross’ interpretation of him in I’M NOT THERE with that Crucifixion scene where he tells that Jesus idol: “Get down from there son or you’ll get hurt!”

      Alright not exactly accurately quoted, but thats my paraphrasing.

    4. blerg June 8th, 2009 at 12:36 pm 4

      More gay James Franco please.

    5. Ryan Adams June 8th, 2009 at 12:49 pm 5

      ha! I almost said the same thing in the post, blerg. Trying to think what other 1960s-70s gay icons I’d like to see him play.

      James Franco as Joe Delesandro?

    6. Afrika June 8th, 2009 at 1:35 pm 6

      James Franco
      way to get typecast. You were good in milk but please not another gay role. Branch out and try different things while you’ve got the chance.

    7. bambi June 8th, 2009 at 2:27 pm 7

      I`m happy he`s getting high-profile roles. At one point, it seemed like he`d be the only Spiderman cast member who didn`t profit from the exposure but, fortunately, the industry didn`t write him off and now he`s all the rage.

      Biopic = Oscar?

    8. Jesus Alonso June 8th, 2009 at 2:43 pm 8

      Mmm… closeted gay biopics? How about one certain Pope? Lol, ask in Munich.

    9. RRA is a Ghetto Defendent June 8th, 2009 at 3:05 pm 9

      Bambi – I think Franco is profiting more than his two cast-mates. I mean have you watched a Maguire or Dunst movie outside of that franchise in the last 4 years?

      For me, I guess MARIE ANTOINETTE and….does seeing the GOOD GERMAN trailer count?

    10. filmboymichael June 8th, 2009 at 4:14 pm 10

      I think playing Sal in Pineapple Express will keep Franco for ever being typecast and will keep playing complex, interesting roles that push his range as an actor and keep us surprised for many years….I think we all were a little surprised that Franco had Sal in him….

      Ryan, I’m totally with you….

      I’d love to see Franco strutting his stuff as Peter Berlin….yikes!

    11. bambi June 8th, 2009 at 4:35 pm 11

      RRA, you`ve already forgot Best Picture nominee Seabiscuit? Yikes for Biscuit! ;)

      I agree with you. The difference between Dunst and Franco was that she had high-profile bombs (Marie-Antoinette, Elisabethtown,etc) while Franco had low-key (barely advertised, 1000 cinemas tops release) flops (Tristan&isolde, Flyboys, Annapolis,etc). So I was worried he`d never get out of those F list productions.

    12. Xavi Rodriguez June 8th, 2009 at 4:53 pm 12

      I think Franco is becoming a high star right now, last year he created two extremely different but excellent characters: Sal Paradise in “Pinneaple Express” and Scott Smith in “Milk”, but he’s a good career for James Dean biography (Even his performance was Oscar Worthy), City by the Sea and the TV serie “Freaks & Geeks. Next year he’ll start “Date Night” alongside Tina Fey and Steve Carrell (Two of the biggest comedians in Hollywood right now).

      Plus: It’s always welcome gay James Franco

    13. JR June 8th, 2009 at 5:08 pm 13

      James Franco is working his way up. I hope he doesn’t become a typecast, so I kinda hope he does less gay roles, but last year really did it for him with his performances in Pineapple Express and Milk. I think he will succeed.

      Tobey Maguire had a good line of films in the late 1990’s and has stayed decent this decade with his blockbuster Spider-Man films, Seabiscuit, The Good German, Wonder Boys, and he’s starring in Jim Sheridan’s Brothers this year.

    14. JAB June 8th, 2009 at 8:03 pm 14

      i can’t wait to see this

    15. RRA presents James Franco as General Franco June 8th, 2009 at 9:26 pm 15

      Bambi – But SEABISCUIT came out in 2003.

      And yeah, you’re right about the difference between Franco and Dunst. I mean amazing how Franco had a long streak of financial losers, including that Nicholas Cage-directed picture, and Franco is the best off and most high profile these days.

      Too bad he had to drop out of Nolan’s INCEPTION.

      JR – He’s in BROTHERS? Shit thats news to me. But alot of those you cited, were what many many years ago? Hell WONDER BOYS was 9 years ago. I did enjoy him in PLEASANTVILLE though.

      One would think his career would be better, considering he pulled off a Triple H (i.e. an “actor” marrying the kid of a studio mogul.)

    16. Lily June 8th, 2009 at 9:59 pm 16

      I don’t get it, how is playing two DIFFERENT gay characters being typecast? Unless, you guys are saying that all gays are exactly the same.

      I’m confused :-/

    17. AfriKa June 8th, 2009 at 10:27 pm 17

      lily

      he’s playing two prominent gay characters in a row and that’s not good. The last thing he wants is to become the go to guy for gay biopics. I’m surprised he took this role; he should have shunned it and gone for something different. At least try two (or more) other dynamic roles before you pick up another gay character.

    18. Lily June 8th, 2009 at 10:54 pm 18

      So are you upset about him being in two biopics ( back to back) or playing gay characters back to back? Because, to me it doesn’t matter as long as the characters aren’t similar who cares. I mean no one seems to care that Michelle Williams plays the sad depressed White female in almost all of her films or that Amy Adams plays the wide eyed innocent White female in her films.

    19. SaltireFlower June 8th, 2009 at 11:20 pm 19

      I, for one, wouldn’t mind James Franco in more gay roles. I’m sure my feeling this way has to do with a love of film, and er…characters and such.

    20. tmoves June 9th, 2009 at 12:01 am 20

      Great cast. It’s a round-up of underdogs… with serious chops. Excited to see Broadway boy Aaron Tveit get a leading role. This hopefully will be a grand entrance onto the celluloid. He’s definitely going to be an “it” kid soon, if Broadway hasn’t already done that for him.

      Which, by the way, why are they making Catch Me If You Can a musical? Can someone PLEASE write an ORIGINAL idea for this genre? Please. Please! If Blood Diamond or The Hours becomes a musical…

      Oh no. I probably just gave someone an idea.

    21. AfriKa June 9th, 2009 at 12:07 am 21

      Franco is also too conventionally pretty to play Ginsberg; I doubt he would do Ginsberg’s eccentricity much justice.

    22. Ryan Adams June 9th, 2009 at 12:25 am 22

      4 months! 3 weeks! 2 days! The Musical!

    23. Ryan Adams June 9th, 2009 at 12:31 am 23

      Have you seen Aaron Tveit on Broadway, tmoves?

      I have another Ginsberg post in the draft folder (Jesse Eisenberg as Alan Ginsberg). But didn’t want to overload the site with too much gay in one day. Kill Your Darlings. Another movie I’m really looking forward in a few months. We might see neither of these until 2010 though.

    24. Xavi Rodriguez June 9th, 2009 at 1:48 am 24

      “he’s playing two prominent gay characters in a row and that’s not good. The last thing he wants is to become the go to guy for gay biopics. I’m surprised he took this role; he should have shunned it and gone for something different. At least try two (or more) other dynamic roles before you pick up another gay character.”

      I don’t think is necessary a bad thing. In fact a good examples of well established actors play consecutive gay characters/gay theme films:

      *Emile Hirsch (The Mudge Boy and Imaginary Heroes)
      *Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Latter Days and Mysterious Skin)
      *Javier Bardem (Before Night Falls and Second Skin)
      *Gael Garcia Bernal (Y tu Mama Tambien and Bad Education)
      *Jude Law (Wilde and The Talented Mr. Ripley) – Those films were released in years consecutives in USA
      *Malik Zidi (Gouttes d’eau sur pierres brûlantes and Froid comme l’été)

      Plus, if the film would released in 2010 he had another two films before… “your Highness” and “Date Night”.

    25. filmboymichael June 9th, 2009 at 9:39 am 25

      Um, I’m really rather disheartened to think that playing two gay characters is such a bad thing for a person’s career…Xavi, great info on actors’ suicidal decision to play back to back gays….can’t believe I’ve heard of all of them considering how bad it is for one’s career….

      I truly appreciate an actor who continues to stretch and grow and choose parts that allow them to do so….James Franco is slowly becoming an actor to watch if he keeps challenging himself with comedy, drama and the dreaded gay biopic.

    26. harry June 9th, 2009 at 9:53 am 26

      I would be more excited about this if the actual Ginsberg didn’t annoy me.

      I like Franco though. Good movie star. Don’t really consider him much of an actor however. Reminds me of Jeremy Sisto.

    27. Heft June 9th, 2009 at 4:29 pm 27

      Great, another biopic about an overrated beat generation poet. And not to mention Ginsberg was a NAMBLA member as well.

    28. Haifa June 9th, 2009 at 4:54 pm 28

      Aaron Tveit in a movie? Wow. I hung out with him a couple of times when he was doing “Hairspray” in Boston. Super nice guy, that’s exciting.

    29. Proman June 9th, 2009 at 11:13 pm 29

      “he’s playing two prominent gay characters in a row and that’s not good. The last thing he wants is to become the go to guy for gay biopics.”

      On the contrary, Afrika, I think the last thing that Franco wants to do it so listen to idiots like yourself. Please feel free to take that personally.

    30. Jebman June 10th, 2009 at 3:24 am 30

      An overrated poet played by an overrated actor who’s way too good-looking to be playing him. Seriously, a movie about Alan Ginsberg? Did the filmmakers actively decide to pick a painfully boring subject and make a movie out of it? And being that Franco’s character in Milk didn’t act overtly gay, I seriously doubt it’ll be a problem for his career. You’re gonna get typecast based on personalities you play. He acts like a regular guy in Milk and besides, his character/performance in it is forgettable anyway (not really his fault) so I doubt most people are going to notice.

    31. Afrika June 10th, 2009 at 10:56 am 31

      Proman
      Oh! I notice a trend. I see what you are doing, jumping from thread to thread, trying to lure me into an argument with you. You are an article of no commercial value Mister. Thus, I won’t even waste me time. Run along kiddo, go pick a fight with someone else. I’m sure the ADD-stricken RRA will be more than willing to entertain a heated debate with you. ;)


    Leave a reply


    • Contender Tracker

      Best Picture
      Up in the Air
      Nine
      The Hurt Locker
      An Education
      Precious: Based on the Novel
      Push by Sapphire

      A Serious Man
      Inglourious Basterds
      Up

      Julie & Julia
      Star Trek
      District 9
      Bright Star
      Where the Wild Things Are
      A Single Man

      Best Actor
      Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
      Colin Firth, A Single Man
      George Clooney, Up in the Air
      Matt Damon, The Informant!
      Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
      Viggo Mortensen, The Road
      Ben Foster, The Messenger
      Michael Stuhlbarg, A Serious Man
      Michael Sheen, The Damned United

      Best Actress
      Gabby Sidibe, Precious
      Carey Mulligan, An Education
      Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
      Abbie Cornish, Bright Star
      Helen Mirren, The Last Station
      Michelle Monaghan, Trucker

      Best Supporting Actor
      Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
      Alfred Molina, An Education
      Stanley Tucci, Julie & Julia
      Peter Sarsgaard, An Education
      Robert Duvall, Crazy Heart
      Peter Capaldi, In the Loop
      Zach Galifianakis, The Hangover
      Anthony Mackie, The Hurt Locker
      Brian Geraghty, The Hurt Locker

      Best Supporting Actress
      Mo'Nique,Precious
      Anna Kendrick,Up in the Air
      Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart
      Julianne Moore, A Single Man
      Melanie Laurent, Inglourious Basterds
      Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
      Samantha Morton, The Messenger
      Emma Thompson, An Education
      Cara Seymour, An Education

      Best Director
      Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
      Lee Daniels, Precious
      Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
      Lone Scherfig, An Education
      Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
      Joel and Ethan Coen, A Serious Man
      Neill Blomkamp, District 9
      Spike Jonze, Where the Wild Things Are
      Tom Ford, A Single Man
      Jane Campion, Bright Star

      Best Original Screenplay
      Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker
      Joel and Ethan Coen, A Serious Man
      Jane Campion, Bright Star
      Quentin Tarantino,Inglourious Basterds
      Michael Haneke,White Ribbon
      Bob Peterson, Pete Docter,Up
      Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber, 500 Days of Summer

      Best Adapted Screenplay
      Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air
      Nick Hornby, An Education
      Spike Jonze, Dave Eggars, Where the Wild Things Are
      Peter Morgan, The Damned United
      Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
      Scott Burns, The Informant!
      Tom Ford, A Single Man

      Best Editing

      Chris Innis, Bob Murawski, The Hurt Locker
      Sally Menke, Inglourious Basterds
      Dana E. Glauberman,, Up in the Air
      Joel and Ethan Coen,, A Serious Man

      Best Cinematography
      Greig Fraser,Bright Star
      Robert Richardson,Inglourious Basterds
      Roger Deakins, A Serious Man
      Christian Berger, White Ribbon
      Bruno Delbonnel,Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
      Barry Ackroyd, The Hurt Locker

      Best Art Direction

      Where the Wild Things Are
      Julie & Julia
      Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
      Bright Star
      Inglourious Basterds
      White Ribbon
      District 9
      A Serious Man

      Best Sound Mixing

      Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
      District 9
      Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
      The Hurt Locker
      Star Trek

      Best Sound Editing

      District 9
      Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
      Star Trek
      Up

      Best Costume Design
      Janet Patterson, Bright Star
      Jany Temime,Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
      Anna B. Sheppard,Inglourious Basterds
      Mary Zophre, A Serious Man
      Colleen Atwood, Public Enemies
      Consolata Boyle,Cheri

      Best Original Score
      Carter Burwell, Karen O,Where the Wild Things Are
      Carter Burwell,A Serious Man
      Michael Giacchino,Up
      Alexandre Desplat, Cheri
      Elliot Goldenthal, Public Enemies

      Best Foreign Language Film (submissions)

      Letters from Father Jacob, Finland
      White Wedding, South Africa
      A Prophet, France
      Dawson, Isla 10, Chile
      Nobody to Watch Over Me, Japan
      Prince of Tears, Hong Kong
      No puedo vivir sin ti, Taiwan
      Kelin, Kazakhstan
      Mother, Korea
      The White Ribbon, Germany
      Silent Army, The Netherlands


      Best Documentary Feature

      The Beaches of Agnes
      Burma VJ
      The Cove
      Every Little Step
      Facing Ali
      Food, Inc.
      Garbage Dreams
      Living in Emergency
      The Most Dangerous Man in America
      Mugabe and the White African
      Sergio
      Soundtrack for a Revolution
      Under Our Skin
      Valentino
      Which Way Home


      Best Animated Feature
      Up
      The Princess and the Frog
      Coraline
      The Fantastic Mr. Fox
      A Christmas Carol
      Mary and Max
      Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
      Ponyo


      Best Visual Effects
      Star Trek
      District 9
      A Christmas Carol
      Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
      Transformers


      Best Makeup

      Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
      District 9

      Best Song

      Best Live Action Short

      Best Animated Short

      Best Documentary Short

      China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province
      The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner
      The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
      Lt. Watada
      Music by Prudence
      Rabbit a la Berlin
      Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak
      Woman Rebel

    • Ampas Breakdown

      Actors-1,222
      Producers-462
      Executives-436
      Sound-411
      Writers-388
      Art Directors-373
      Directors-375
      Public Relations-370
      Members at Large-254
      Shorts/Feature Ani-335
      Visual Effects-272
      Music-233
      Editors-227
      Cinematographers-197
      Documentary-145
      Makeup-115
      Total Voting Members -approx 6,000
    • Tuesday, December 1, 2009: Official Screen Credits forms due

      Monday, December 28, 2009: Nominations ballots mailed

      Saturday, January 23, 2010: Nominations polls close 5 p.m. PT

      Tuesday, February 2, 2010: Nominations announced 5:30 a.m. PT, Samuel Goldwyn Theater

      Wednesday, February 10, 2010: Final ballots mailed

      Monday, February 15, 2010: Nominees Luncheon

      Saturday, February 20, 2010: Scientific and Technical Achievement Awards presentation

      Tuesday, March 2, 2010: Final polls close 5 p.m. PT

      Sunday, March 7, 2010: 82nd Annual Academy Awards presentation