Academy Award winning actress Angelina Jolie signed on to direct a film about Italian-American World War II prisoner of war survivor, former Olympic distance runner, and Christian inspirational speaker Louis Zamperini, and she states her life has been impacted greatly.

Jolie is directing "Unbroken," a gripping survival tale depicting the life Zamperini. She sat down with Zamperini and reporter Tom Brokaw on Tuesday for an interview on the Today Show to discuss the film.

Jolie who noticeably and admittedly has mush love and respect for Zamperini tells Today that while she found herself "lost" as to the direction of her life, it was living right in her Los Angeles neighborhood the whole time. From Zamperini's patio, Jolies home is actually visible.

"I imagine that for the last 10-something years, (Zamperini has) been sitting there having a coffee in the morning and wondering who's going to make this movie," Jolie said. "And I've been sitting in my room laying there thinking, 'What am I supposed to be doing with my life? I wanna do something important ... I need some help. I need some guidance. Where is it?'" she points up and says, "it was right outside my window."

Jolie, 38, and Zamperini, 97, are now close friends, Zamperini calling Jolie "honey" and "my gal" during the interview, and Jolie replying, "I love you."

The film has become "very personal" to Jolie, she told Brokaw. "(I feel) such a huge responsibility to get it right, because I love (Zamperini) so much, and because he's helped me so much in my life," she said.

Jolie's declaration has people wondering if Zamperini shared his unrelenting faith with the Hollywood star.

Zamperini became a born again Christian after attending a crusade led by evangelist Billy Graham in 1949. Graham later helped Zamperini launch his career as a Christian inspirational speaker. A Zamperini favorite theme is "forgiveness," and he has visited many of the guards from his Prisoner of war days to let them know that he has forgiven them.

 Contrary to claims that Jolie is a Buddhist the actress has not publicly identified herself with any single religion, nor has she declared herself an atheist. One can only hope Zamperini is being used to help lead Jolie to the knowledge of the love Christ.