KEVIN SMITH - KNOCKED UP STAR TO MAKE A PORNO

Knocked Up star Seth Rogen has been signed up to play the lead role in Kevin Smith's upcoming comedy Zack & Miri Make a Porno.

The chubby actor - steadily building a reputation as one of Hollywood's most bankable comedians - will play opposite Elizabeth Banks, with whom he appeared in The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

The role of Miri had originally been penned for Rosario Dawson - who starred in Smith's Clerks 2 - but the Sin City actress was forced to pass on the project due to scheduling conflicts arising from her shooting Eagle Eye with Transformers star Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan.

Smith's movie tells the tale of two lifelong friends who decide to shoot a pornographic movie to raise some money, only to realise that their feelings for each other are more than just platonic.

Clerks director Smith will shoot the movie for the Weinstein Company through Dimension Films, marking his seventh collaboration with Bob and Harvey Weinstein.

Scott Mosier will produce the movie, set to start shooting in Pittsburgh in January.

Rogen recently wrapped stoner crime caper The Pineapple Express - combining again with Superbad co-writer Evan Goldberg - while Scrubs actress Banks has just completed production on romantic comedy Definitely, Maybe, starring Ryan Reynolds, Rachel Weisz and Isla Fisher.