James Franco always at full tilt
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James Franco has played a wizard, a doctor, a gangster rapper, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner and himself, all in the past year.
In addition to acting, Franco is a teacher, a spokesman for the Italian fashion brand Gucci, a published author, artist and director. Does the 35-year-old actor ever feel like he’s taking on too much?
Not likely. In 2013, Franco appeared in big budget films such as “Oz The Great and Powerful” and “This is The End” and smaller independent movies including “Spring Breakers” and his directorial film “As I Lay Dying.”
In his latest project, the Oscar-nominated actor plays an ambitious small-town Southern methamphetamine dealer in the action film “Homefront,” just released in the US.
Franco, taking a break from teaching film courses at three Los Angeles colleges, talks about exploring darker characters and if he’s ever worried about how people perceive him.
Q: What drew you to the villainous Gator in “Homefront?”
A: My first reaction was that this could be fun. I thought it could be a villain that wouldn’t just be a cardboard villain.
Q: Gator’s decisions led both him and others down a dark path. Did you empathize?
A: Here’s a guy who just has not succeeded in life. He’s really tried to pull things together, and he just wants what we all want — a good life, comfort, money, success. And so he’s presented with a shot, an opportunity, and unfortunately it means that he has to hurt somebody or kill somebody to fulfill it. So, of course, I don’t agree with that, but I can understand somebody that is ambitious or wants to make something out of his life.
Q: What do you enjoy about exploring darker characters?
A: Villains can often be one note and then it’s not fun to play them. It’s fun to play the villain if he a) has dimension and b) the villain gets to do all the things that in life he would get punished for. In the movie, you’re applauded for them if you do them with panache. That’s why it’s more fun to play the villain.
Q: Do you ever feel like you’re taking on so much?
A: Like what, I’m going to have a breakdown?
Q: No, but maybe you might need to not do anything for a while?
A: Why? Like if people are sick of me?
Q: No, just for you. You’re in so many different things that crop up at the same time, do you ever feel celebrity sometimes overshadows your work?
A: I guess that’s the price I have to pay. It’s not like I’m going and begging to do some of these projects. They’re favors or they’re fun ... I’ve decided I can’t really control people’s perceptions of me. All I can do is decide what I work on and how hard I work, so if people think they see too much of me, then, oh well.
People wrongly think I’m doing it just to get attention. No. If I go out and put myself in public or promote something in a big way, it’s because I am doing things that are not “The Avengers,” that are not “Thor.” They need all the promotion they can get because I want them to do well.
Q: How have your career choices changed over time?
A: When I was a young actor, I didn’t understand how to function as an artist. It’s called the film business for a reason, there’s money involved ... But on the flip side, now I do not let the business side of it rule. It’s a balance.
When I was younger, I didn’t know that I should just listen to my own voice, my own artistic sense, when I was choosing projects ... Once I just started working with people and projects I believed in, everything changed and I suddenly had a career that I loved and that I was proud of.
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