Shockingly, James Franco still has some "firsts" left.
The busy entertainer has gotten around to tackling Broadway, and will make his debut alongside Chris O'Dowd ("Bridesmaids"; "This Is 40") in an upcoming "Of Mice and Men" production.
According to Entertainment Weekly, the two actors will appear in a revival of the classic story in the spring. Franco is set to star as George, the sharper and smaller of the two field laborers at the heart of the John Steinbeck title, while O'Dowd will portray gentle giant Lennie.
This revival has been in the works for a while, and Franco told EW earlier this month that for one reason or another it was difficult to get off the ground. The 35-year-old star said that Anna Shapiro, the Tony-winning director of "August: Osage County" who's also going to helm "Of Mice and Men," specifically wanted Franco for the stage adaptation.
"I learned that 'Of Mice and Men' was her dream project, and for whatever reason, she’s always wanted me in it," Franco said. "She asked me back then, years ago, and it fell apart. Then it came around again ... I’ve gotten to know her, we’ve been talking about this for a while, so we’ve become friends. I think she’s just the greatest."
"Of Mice and Men" is scheduled to begin previews at Broadway's Longacre Theatre on March 19, 2014, with opening night set to follow on April 16.
