Angelina Jolie’s new movie Unbroken, which tells the story of WWII hero Louis Zamperini is set to hit theaters Christmas Day.

The film is largely based on Lauren Hillenbrand’s New York Times best-seller, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption and follows Zamperini’s life from childhood, to olympian, and later to prisoner of war during WWII.

In an exclusive interview with People he told the magazine, “One thing you learn from sports is you don’t give up, that’s important for everybody in all walks of life, is the perseverance. Don’t give up. Don’t give in.” 

Zamperini died this summer at the age of 97.