Actor James Franco may be fond of tackling roles in which his character is gay, but the handsome hunk maintains that he's hardly playing for the other team. The Milk star told The Advocate that life doesn't always imitate art, much to people's dismay. Franco tells the leading gay publication that people not only assume he's into men, but they also believe that he's a big ole pothead. Franco tells The Advocate neither could be further from the truth. Says Franco, "Everyone thinks I'm a stoner, and some people think I'm gay because I've played these gay roles. That's what people think, but it's not true. I don't smoke pot. I'm not gay." Despite being hetero, he seems to have no trouble filling those shoes. He adds, "But on another level, there's something in me that is able to play roles like that in a way that's convincing." Ironically, Franco admits that even if he was gay, he definitely wouldn't own up to it. "I guess the reason I wouldn't is because I'd be worried that it would hurt my career. I suppose that's the reason one wouldn't [come out], right?" Franco, who's currently in Eat Pray Love, has been dating actress Ahna O'Reilly for almost five years.