Kiwi calls random number on James Franco billboard ... James Franco answers on live TV

A Kiwi man had a surreal phone conversation with actor James Franco after calling a number listed on the billboard for his new film, reports NZ Herald.

Steve Newall, editor of New Zealand film website Flicks, phoned the number listed on the billboard for Franco's new film The Disaster Artist while on his lunch break.

Franco answered, and Newall discovered he was calling during a live interview on Conan O'Brien's late night talk show in the US.

Franco answered the phone in character as Tommy Wiseau, the director of the cult film The Room, whom he plays in The Disaster Artist. 

 "Hey this is Steve, I'm just having lunch in Auckland, New Zealand. What are you guys up to?" Newall can be heard saying.

After the call, Franco explains that he has been answering the phone in character as Wiseau.

"We did our own billboard based on that, and it's my face, and we have a number and it goes right here. We've gotten over 200,000 calls.

"And you talk to these people yourself?", asks O'Brien. "As Tommy," confirms Franco.

Newall took to Twitter to reveal the strange phone call had gone down:

HOW GOOD!

The Disaster Artist, based on the making of The Room, is currently screening in New Zealand.

This article originally appeared in the NZ Herald and was republished here with permission.