HBO is getting down and dirty with its newest series, and it looks like star James Franco is pulling double duty.
The Deuce is the story of the rising pornography industry, after its legalization in the 1970s, as well as its effect on the rest of New York. The series takes place in Times Square, just as drugs, crime, and HIV are becoming an epidemic.
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James Franco stars in the series, portraying two different roles. As you can see in the teaser, Franco is playing a set of twin brothers, bringing a different personality to the pair. The names of his characters are Vincent and Frankie Martino, and they’re a couple of guys in Times Square who end up working as fronts for the mob.
The series also stars Maggie Gyllenhaal, who will be playing Eileen “Candy” Merrell. Candy is a sex worker in Times Square, whose mind for business has her drawn to the emerging porn industry.
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In addition to Franco and Gyllenhaal, Emily Meade, Anwan Glover, and Lawrence Gilliard Jr. are set to have major roles in The Deuce.
Perhaps the most intriguing thing about this series is its creative team. The Deuce was created and written by former police reporter David Simon. If you’ve been a fan of HBO original programming – or TV in general – you’ll recognize Simon as the man who brought The Wire to life. His longtime collaborator George Pelecanos also assisted in writing and creating the series.
The first season of The Deuce is set for eight episodes, and will premiere on HBO on September 10.
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[Photo Credit: HBO]