When Angelina Jolie met Louis Zamperini

In order to direct "Unbroken," Angelina Jolie knew she had to go straight to the source.

Hollywood's highest-paid actress is once again trying her hand at directing, this time with an adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand's best-selling book of the same name.

Hillenbrand's tome recounts the inspiring and courageous life of Olympian and World War II POW Louis Zamperini, and Jolie recently met with the 96-year-old hero as she works on adapting Hillenbrand's account.

People magazine reports that the two quickly hit it off. Zamperini bestowed the movie star with a gold pendant in the shape of a running shoe for her to wear during filming, and the former distance runner said he has faith in Jolie as a director.

"Angelina is a human dynamo," Zamperini said, "and I know she will tell this story in the right way."

Filming on "Unbroken," which has the Coen brothers Ethan and Joel writing the script, begins later this month.

Jolie, of course, was a little starstruck meeting the legend.

"It will be hard to make a film worthy of this great man," the 38-year-old actress/filmmaker said. "I am deeply honored to have the chance."

"Unbroken" is scheduled to open December 25, 2014.