Robert Pattinson to play Lawrence of Arabia

Robert Pattinson is to follow in the footsteps of great British actor Peter O'Toole, by playing Lawrence Of Arabia.

The young heart-throb - currently nursing a broken heart after his break-up from Twilight co-star Kristen Stewart - will star as British army officer TE Lawrence in Werner Herzog's new film, Queen Of The Desert, opposite Naomi Watts, Variety reports.

Watts will play Gertrude Bell in the film, which will focus on the English writer's life.

Bell, one of the first female graduates from Oxford University, travelled through the Middle East, working as an archaeologist, explorer, cartographer and political officer for the British Empire, defining the borders of Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Lawrence and Bell were good friends and together they helped establish the Hashemite dynasties in Jordan and Iraq.

O'Toole famously played Lawrence in David Lean's 1962 classic film Lawrence Of Arabia.

Herzog is hoping to begin filming the project in the autumn.

Meanwhile, Ridley Scott is also currently developing a film about Bell's life.

The news comes after Pattinson made his first public appearance since Stewart's cheating scandal broke.

Speaking on US TV programme The Daily Show, the 26-year-old actor dodged host Jon Stewart's questions about his relationship and said: "My biggest problem in my life is that I'm cheap. I didn't hire a publicist and every awkward interview... most actors have things scripted. I'm going to hire a publicist."

PA