Penn 'wanted more gay sex scenes'

Rex Features

Sean Penn urged writers to include more raunchy scenes in new movie Milk, according to his co-star.

James Franco revealed that he was surprised to find more gay sex scenes had been included in the script after Penn complained.

"In the original script I read, there was only one real kissing scene. A month after the director Gus Van Sant asked me to do it, they sent me another script, and on page five there was a full-on love scene," he told Elle magazine.

"And I was like, 'Gus, what the heck?' He says, 'Well, it was Sean's idea'."

Penn plays Harvey Milk, California's first openly gay elected official, in the film.