James Franco has revealed that he was inspired by Aron Rolston's video messages to his family and the actor wanted to capture that dignity and love for his family in his performance.
Franco takes on the role of Rolston, who traps his arm under a boulder whilst climbing in Utah and is forced to extreme measures as he tries to survive, in Danny Boyle's new movie 127 Hours.
And Franco got the chance to watch Rolston's videos to his family and admits that it inspired his performance.
Speaking at the London Film Festival he said: "We were sitting there watching a guy who had accepted his own death and he didn't know there was a happy ending at the end of the story.
"He wasn't wallowing in self pity or anything. He was delivering these very simple and personal but dignified messages to his family and so to me that says loads.
"It says there's great strength there and also a great connection to his family and a great love - that he wanted to make what he thought was going to be the last things his family would ever see of him.
"To do that thinking that you're about to die was incredible and said a lot to me when I went to do the performance."
127 Hours has been a major hit on the festival circuit and the movie is already surrounded in Oscar talk, 127 Hours is the first movie for Boyle since his huge success with Slumdog MIllionaire.
127 Hours is released 7th January.
Tagged in James Franco