Angelina Jolie Louis Louie Zamperini Unbroken - H 2013
Universal PicturesA new image featuring Angelina Jolie and the inspiration behind her upcoming film Unbroken has debuted.
Jolie poses with Louis “Louie” Zamperini, the World War II hero whose story was told in Laura Hillenbrand’s popular book, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.
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It turns out that Jolie and Zamperini are neighbors in the Hollywood Hills and have “become close friends over the development of the film,” said the statement.
Jolie will produce and direct Unbroken, which will begin filming in Australia later this month.
Jack O’Connell will star as Zamperini, while Garrett Hedlund also will appear in the film. The story, set in 1943, follows Zamperini as his Air Force plane crashes in the Pacific. He survived without food and water for 47 days before washing ashore on a Japanese island behind enemy lines, where he was held as a prisoner of war for two years.
“It will be hard to make a film worthy of this great man,” said Jolie in a statement. “I am deeply honored to have the chance and will do all I can to bring Louie’s inspiring story to life.” Jolie is producing Unbroken with Matthew Baer and Erwin Stoff.
Universal will bring Unbroken to theaters on Dec. 25, 2014.
