Franco, O'Dowd to star on Broadway in 'Of Mice and Men'

It's official: James Franco and Chris O'Dowd are about to make their Broadway debuts.

As had been rumored, the actors will star in a revival of Of Mice And Men, set to begin previews March 19 and open April 16 at the Longacre Theatre. The first new Broadway staging of the play since 1974, it will be directed by Anna D. Shapiro, a Tony Award winner for her production of August: Osage County.

O'Dowd has been cast as the mentally challenged Lennie, who finds a friend in fellow migrant worker and drifter George, who will be played by Franco. The John Steinbeck characters were last played on Broadway by Kevin Conway (George) and James Earl Jones (Lennie).