'I was scared but he made me feel it would be all right:' Angelina Jolie reveals she turned to WWII hero Louis Zamperini for support while filming biopic Unbroken

By Niki Waldegrave for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 09:05 EST, 6 December 2014 | Updated: 18:13 EST, 6 December 2014

She's an Oscar-winner, UN ambassador and one of the most world's most beautiful women. 

But despite seeming to have it all A-lister Angelina Jolie, 39, admits she's just like the rest of us and suffers from raging self-doubt.

The wife of Brad Pitt claims she suffered 'many sleepless nights' editing her new biopic Unbroken but sought support and guidance from the movie's subject, Olympic runner and WWII prisoner Louis Zamperini, 97, before his death in July.

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Father figure: Angelina Jolie pays tribute to Louis Zamperini, an inspiring World War II veteran, Olympian and POW who's incredible life story of hope and survival she tells in her new film Unbroken

Scared: The superstar reveals she lost faith in herself at times during editing but Louis spurred her on

She told Channel Nine's Richard Wilkins on Saturday night: 'I had many sleepless nights feeling,“Oh my god, I hope I can do good enough work and be worthy of this man’s story, to be a keeper of this man’s story."

'And I was scared. But I worked hard and he made me feel that it was going to be all right.

'And even when I didn’t have faith in myself during production he would remind me I was going to do a good job.'

Queen of the red carpet: The stunning actress sheds her usual black outfits for the London Unbroken premiere

Hello sailors! Although Angelina had doubts she thinks her close friend Louis would be proud of the biopic

Angelina, who has previously told how Louis became a 'father figure' to her and her brood, re-located to Australia for several months to shoot the movie in Queensland and New South Wales.

The film is based on the book, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand and traces Louis' incredible life story.

Louis competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, survived a plane crash when he was a bombardier in WWII by living on a raft for 47 days and became a Japanese POW.

G-rafting: Angelina in the editing suite jotting down notes about the war veteran's 47 days on a raft in the ocean

He was incarcerated for two years as a Japanese prisoner of war and subjected to a horrific regime of daily abuse and torture that saw more than 35,000 others perish.

Once the war ended he devoted his life to inspiring others, becoming a born-again Christian and giving speeches.

His mantra, which is tagged onto promotions for Unbroken is: 'To persevere, I think, is important for everybody. Don't give up, don't give in.' 

Kindred spirits:  After reading Louis' book Angelina was inspired by him and wanted to 'follow' in his footsteps

Angelina, who saw Louis just two days before he passed away whilst he was in a coma, says that, in true spirit, he fought until the end and 'poetically' left this earth on his own terms at the age of 97.

'Everyone went and whispered in his ear and nobody dared say goodbye,' she told Channel Nine in the exclusive interview, 'but we all said we loved him and everybody took their turns.

'I went home and said, “Oh God, he’s gone," and then I got a call a few days later and they said his son was reaching for his hand.

Back to black: The Oscar-winner dons a thick poncho to brave the weather - and the fans - for the NY premiere

'And when they asked if he wanted to keep fighting he was able to signal that he did. And I kept thinking, "this is impossible." 

'But he came back to say goodbye and to go on his terms. It was very Louis.'

Although Angelina is devastated Louis never got to see the final edit, the actress and director was in constant contact with him and takes comfort in the fact he saw the draft edit on her laptop.

I'll do it my way: The dressed down director instructs the cast and crew at the beginning of filming in Sydney

Pondering: Unbroken was filmed all around Australia but mainly in Queensland and New South Wales

'It was so beautiful to have the privilege of watching this extraordinary person watch his life before his eyes,' she adds.

'He saw his mom and he smiled, he saw his brother...and one of the most touching things was the races. 

'He was so frail in the end - this mountain of a man of physical strength was now in a place where his body was failing after all this time and he was watching with his bright blue eyes.

Smacker: Angelina plants a big kiss of Louis' cheek in this snippet shown from her exclusive interview 

Friends to the end: 'He was extremely intelligent, extremely funny and so charming,' says Angelina on Nine

'Watching himself win races and fight, and survive, and it was so magical. It was very, very special.

'I think there was something beautiful that his whole life was about fighting against the odds and fighting to survive and fighting to get this message out.

'He really believed in getting this message of helping to inspire others out into the world and he felt he’d done that with his speaking, his book and he always wanted to do that with a film.

Cutting a dash: Angelina poses with Japanese singer Miyavi, who plays a sadistic WWII prison camp sergeant

'I think we always knew that there was a chance he wouldn’t make it [to the end of the edit]. And he used to joke with me and say, "you better had get on with it girl."' 

After Louis' passing Angelina says she had trouble finishing the edit as it felt like sacrilege to leave anything on the cutting room floor.

And she kept finding ways to stall, as finishing the film meant more distance from her mentor.

Serous: Ang talks about the film, which is based on the book, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

During editing Angelina says she often used to telephone Louis to double check facts because although she knew his story, some of what she was seeing on camera was so astonishing.

Like when on day 27 of being afloat in the ocean on a raft they were strafed by a Japanese bomber and he dived in the water, only to be attacked by a shark.

In his book Louis says that if he hadn't punched it in the nose he would have been a goner. 

'Straya mate: Getting down with the country spirit Angelina rocks this straw hat whilst filming in Tamworth

Angelina tells Richard Wilkins: 'So much of his life is so unbelievable that we didn't even put it all in the film. In the film he kicks the shark but apparently he did square-on punch it.

'He was a boy scout and took real pride in that, and [was] a survivalist. When they were in base camp before they took off, there were a few thousand men and they had a 'how to survive on a raft'.

'And him and four others took the course. Part of that was to deal  with sharks. 

'So it's lucky for us he took the class!' she jokes, 'he was always prepared.' 

Brave but not broken: Ang and Brad braved the 13 hour flight from LA to Sydney with their six children

When Unbroken premiered in Sydney last month husband Brad flew in to support his wife and they made a striking couple on the red carpet for film, which is already being tipped for an Oscar.

Angelina, who looked stunning in a black and white dress, was moved to tears when an interviewer read her a glowing quote from the late war veteran, saying he had full faith in her and the film.

And she says that she thinks he'd be proud of the final result and that Louis' friendship and guidance has changed her forever.

Watch the new trailer for Angelina Jolie directed movie Unbroken

'He was extremely intelligent, he’s also extremely funny and so charming,' she adds in the Channel Nine interview: 'That rebellious Italian blooded cool, witty man to the end. And very, very funny. 

'I wanted to spend years following this man’s footsteps because I wanted to learn from him and I wanted to be inspired like everyone who learns about him.

'But I didn’t know I’d meet one of my best friends, who would be such a father figure to me and give me so much guidance and help me through tough times in my life.

‘I’m forever changed for having known him. 

Selfie! Keeping it real, the down-to-earth superstar always makes an effort with her fans

'You can help but somehow feel like, “this wasn’t me wanting to make a film, this is Louis’ life and Louis decided how he wanted to live his life.

'Louis championed things and fought for things and we kind of became the final chapter in his life.’

Because Unbroken is Angelina's second film as a director she said she had to dig deep to try and identify with all the characters, and often listened to and took direction from the actors playing them.

She also drew on experiences that Brad and her sons, Maddox, 13, Pax,11, and six-year-old Knox have had and encountered for inspiration.

Digging deep: In her interview with Richard Wilkins Angelina said she had to get into the male mindset

'As a director you’re that little bit removed where you have to try to really put yourself into everybody’s shoes,' she adds.

'Including all these young men which made me less think about my own experiences but more about my sons, or things I know about Brad and the young men I have known in my life.

'And to try to get into their mindset I listened to the actors a lot who helped me to get them through his because they told me what they should be doing.'

When Richard asked: 'Which one was Brad?' she smiled and answered, ‘I can’t tell you!’ 

All will be revealed when Unbroken is release in Australia on January 15. 

Gaunt: Angelina lost a lot of weight during filming, as seen here at the Sydney premiere last month

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