James Franco arrived at the premiere of his new film Oz the Great and Powerful on Wednesday in a hot air balloon and then took the human-sized travel method to his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live later that same night.

Kimmel's show films next door to El Captain Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard, where Oz premiered. Franco, 34, talked to the talk show host about his character, who is expected in the film to save Oz though he is a less than ideal hero.

"He starts off less than a perfect kind of guy. He's a little selfish. He's a bit of a womanizer," Franco said about his character. "Dorothy sort of had to work out her issues.... This guy has to get a bit of a conscious and be less selfish."

"And how do you prepare for a role like that? Do you do ride-alongs with actual wizards?" Kimmel asked the actor.

"Actually you do, in a way. I had to train with the great Lance Burton in Vegas," Franco said, adding that he trained with the magician for two weeks.

The Sami Raimi-directed film also stars Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz and Zach Braff. Instead of a red carpet at the film's premiere in Hollywood, the stars walked a yellow brick road to the theater. 

Oz the Great and Powerful opens in theaters March 8. Watch parts of Franco's interview with Kimmel below.

Franco teaches a graduate film course at UCLA's film school as well as an English course. Introducing the actor onto his set, Kimmel noted that Franco has also been nominated for an Oscar in his career, is an author, producer, studet, soap star, Playboy columnist, and later this month he will be a grand marshal at the Daytona 500. 

Tags: James Franco