James Franco stars as gay activist in new film

Los Angeles  -  James Franco will play a gay activist in a biopic on Michael Glatze.

The 35-year-old actor - who is currently starring in Broadway's Of Mice and Men - will help tell the story of the co-founder of Young Gay America magazine, who made headlines after he renounced his homosexuality and turned to religion following a health scare, reports the New York Post newspaper.

Glatze turned toward Christianity after he began having heart palpitations which made him concerned he'd suffer from the same condition which affected his father, but it turned out to be due to anemia, caused by Coeliac disease.

The $3.5 million film is being produced by Gus Van Sant and set to start shooting in New York in July.

Franco has played several gay men previously including his role in 2008's Milk where he starred as Scott Smith, alongside Sean Penn who played titular character Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist and politician.

The hunk was also in Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman-directed Howl, released in 2010, as Allen Ginsberg, a central figure of the Beat Generation.