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HBO picks up James Franco porn drama

By Ben Kelly

A drama about the porn scene around New York’s Times Square in the 1970s has been picked up by HBO.

The Deuce will star James Franco as mobster twins Vincent and Frankie Martino and also stars Maggie Gyllenhaal as a prostitute attempting to make it in the porn industry.

The show’s title refers to the area around 42nd Street in New York which was known for its culture of vice up until the mid 1980s, when the arrival of HIV, and a general city clean up changed the face of the area.

Franco took to Instagram to share the news with his followers personally.

HBO show, “THE DEUCE” with DAVID SIMON is a GO! get read for sum dope shizz

A photo posted by James Franco (@jamesfrancotv) on

The show began filming in October, but has only just been picked up by HBO, clearing the way for a possible late 2016 premiere. It involved writers who previously worked on The Wire, and director Michelle MacLaren has also worked on Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad.

Perhaps James is trying on this recently modelled new facial hair for the period drama roles.

It’s not the first time one of our favourite actors has doubled up as sexually ambiguous twins: Tom Hardy’s turn as the Krays in Legend was well received last year.

Franco is also releasing a gay porn drama this year called King Cobra, based on the 2007 murder of gay adult film producer Bryan Kocis.

He is also about to star as Jake Epping in the Hulu adaptation of Stephen King’s time travel novel 11.22.63, which premieres on 16 February.

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