Angelina Jolie has paid tribute to Louis Zamperini, the subject of her film 'Unbroken'.
The 39-year-old actress has spoken out following the news that the World War II hero - who is the subject of the upcoming film directed by Jolie - has passed away from pneumonia at the age of 97.
She released a statement through Universal Pictures, saying: "It is a loss impossible to describe. We are all so grateful for how enriched our lives are for having known him. We will miss him terribly."
'Unbroken' is based on the novel 'Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption' by Laura Hillenbrand and draws on the experiences of Zamperini - who competed in the 1936 Olympics as a distance runner before fighting in the Second World War as an Air Force bombardier and becoming a prisoner of war after surviving a crash in shark-infested waters in the Pacific ocean.
His family also released a statement, which reads: "Having overcome insurmountable odds at every turn in his life, Olympic runner and World War II hero Louis Zamperini has never broken down from a challenge.
"He recently faced the greatest challenge of his life with a life-threatening case of pneumonia. After a 40-day long battle for his life, he peacefully passed away in the presence of his entire family, leaving behind a legacy that has touched so many lives.
"His indomitable courage and fighting spirit were never more apparent than in these last days."
Universal added: "We are so profoundly sad at this moment and all of our thoughts and prayers are with the Zamperini family. Louis was truly one of a kind.
"He lived the most remarkable life, not because of the many unbelievable incidents that marked his near century's worth of years, but because of the spirit with which he faced every one of them."
'Unbroken' is scheduled for worldwide release on December 25, 2014.

Jason Manford has discovered a lump on his testicle and fears it could be cancer.
The 33-year-old comedian revealed the worrying news on his Facebook page and has booked an urgent doctor's appointment for today (03.07.14) after finding the lump on his "favourite testicle".
He wrote: "I don't want people to be alarmed. I'm going to get myself checked out to be on the safe side.
"I urge all men to do the same if they are worried. It's always best not to brush these things under the carpet."
The father-of-three took to Facebook on Tuesday (01.07.14) to tell fans about his cancer scare.
He wrote: "My body: 'Hey brain, has Jason got much work in this week after his 220-date, 6 nights a week tour?'
"My brain: 'Erm', checking through diary 'not loads, 4 or 5 days off now.' My body: 'Oh good.' My brain: 'Why do you ask?' My body: 'Oh, I'm just thinking of f***ing him right up with a bit of the flu, a frozen shoulder, back ache - and a swollen ankle. Oh and schedule an appointment at the doctors cause I've just developed a lump on his left testicle so he can spend the rest of his break ill or worried.' Cheers body!"
The stand-up star later updated his status on Facebook and thanked his 800,000 online fans for their support.
He wrote: "Thanks for some of your concern about my last night post about not being well.
"A little lump on my favourite testicle, have booked in a doctors appointment tomorrow for a check, I'm sure it's nowt but it's good to talk about these things. (sic)"
He then attached a link to an NHS cancer prevention website and added: "Why don't you fellas do the same."

Coronation Street's Tyrone Dobbs is set to be involved in a terrible accident. The loveable mechanic, played by Alan Halsall, will be involved in a building accident which leaves him with broken bones, according to the Daily Star newspaper. He is rus...

Russell T Davies worries soaps could die out in 10 years.
The former 'Doctor Who' writer and executive producer has warned that top shows such as 'EastEnders' and 'Coronation Street' could no longer exist if bosses don't find a way to stop falling ratings.
Both 'EastEnders' and 'Corrie' pulled in over 20 million viewers in the 1980s and early 1990s, but ratings have now fallen to less than 10 million an episode.
Russell told Attitude magazine: "I think the soaps are in trouble and need to be careful. You can see a television landscape in 10 years' time where they won't exist or will be reduced."
The TV producer, who created the iconic gay drama 'Queer as Folk', also expressed fears representation of the gay community may be affected if there aren't any soaps on TV.
He added: "Without the soaps, gay visibility on TV will plummet."
Russell is currently producing various gay-themed series for Channel 4, which will air in 2015.
'Cucumber', an eight-part series exploring the lives of gay men in the 21st Century, is to air on Channel 4, while 'Banana' will air on E4. Meanwhile, documentary series 'Tofu' will be screened on on-demand service 4OD.

Gary Lucy is to guest star on 'Casualty'.
The former 'EastEnders' hunk will take a lead role in a one-off special of the BBC One medical soap later this year.
According to RadioTimes.com, Gary will play "a loveable rogue, born charmer and con man who exists very much on the wrong side of the tracks".
The BBC is producing three 'Casualty' spin-off specials which will be independent from the show and make no reference to its ongoing storylines or characters.
Gary's episode - which will air in November - is expected to follow a murder mystery format.
A source said: "It will be really stylish - we're thinking 'Casualty Noir'."
Gary, 32, most recently played scheming real estate broker Danny Pennant in 'EastEnders' but departed the soap earlier this year.
He said at the time: "I enjoyed my time there and it's been left open. I want to challenge myself and my character had no ties left, so in that respect it was the right time to go."
The former 'Hollyoaks' and 'Footballers' Wives' star will be seen on stage soon in a new adaptation of 'The Full Monty'.

Keira Knightley stunned her 'Begin Again' co-stars with her singing skills.
The 29-year-old beauty plays a singer-songwriter in the movie and all her co-stars were full of anticipation for her first musical scenes - and were left pleasantly surprised.
Mark Ruffalo recalled: "The tension was thick with anticipation and then she sang and everyone was like, 'Oh my God, she can sing.' "
Meanwhile, another of the film's cast, James Corden, admitted they were shocked when they were able to shoot in New York's busy Times Square without attracting a huge crowd.
Speaking during a Q&A session at the Apple Store on Regent Street, London, he said: "There was a great scene with Mark and Keira, which was shot in Times Square.
'With no permits, at 3am, one camera, about 10,000 tourists and Keira Knightley... and nobody noticed!"
During the fan meeting, Keira admitted she has her sights set on a "really dark" role next.
She said: "I love sci-fi, I want to do a sci-fi that is really dark."
Keira recently joked while she was pleased with her voice in the movie, she wanted to "sound like Adele".
She previously said: "I had actually done it on one other movie but in a very different style, but no, I've never sung like this. I was actually quite disappointed that I didn't sound like Adele.
"You know when you're in the shower and you're just singing and you think, 'Wow, I sound really good right now. I sound so good I could totally do that Adele thing'. And then you get into a recording studio, as I did, and you think, 'Oh, no, I can't do the Adele thing'."

Michelle Dockery has got more confident since 'Downton Abbey' began.
The 32-year-old actress has portrayed Lady Mary Crawley in the period drama since its inception in 2010, and she can see a lot of parallels between herself and her alter ego.
She said: "It [Lady Mary's confidence] was a brashness that came from insecurity, whereas now it's different, she's very confident in her own skin, and I guess that's the parallel, really, with my own life.
"I feel like I've reached a point now where I'm much more content and confident."
Michelle says it has been "lovely" to return to the show for a fifth season, and admits she and her co-stars are always amused when they look back at publicity around the early episodes.
She told the August edition of Britain's Harper's Bazaar magazine: "There's a sense of nostalgia this year because we're that much further on.
"And some pictures from the first series make us go, 'Oh my God! We were so young.' We've all grown up together in a lot of ways. It's a lovely thing, really."
Michelle recently vowed to stay with the show until it ends.
Quizzed about speculation she might quit, she said: "It amuses me more than anything, because it's all speculation, and I think it's down to fact the show has such a popularity. But no, I'm here till the end, whenever that may be."

Kate Upton hates reading rumours about herself.
The 22-year-old bombshell says her mother is constantly scolding her about untrue stories she reads in the press and it drives her "crazy" that her family have to question her actions.
She told VOGUE.co.uk: "Reading things about myself that aren't true drives me crazy! I've managed to block it out, but my family really hasn't - so they'll read about me and then call me up saying, 'Are you alright? I saw this happened' and my mum will call and say, 'Well, I saw you went to Vegas, when you could have come to the family reunion...' and I'm like, 'Mum, I swear, I'm in Europe!' It's insane!"
Despite always looking like a pro on the red carpet, the Sports Illustrated beauty admits she sometimes feels infuriated by the photographers' demands.
Kate said: "I enjoy the red carpet for the first 10 minutes and then I'm like, 'Alright....let's go'. Sometimes the photographers get really bossy, like 'blow a kiss!', 'smile!' and I think, 'You don't know Mr, you're not a model! This outfit is meant to be fierce, it doesn't go with smiling!'
"When I first did red carpets, I used to listen and do what they said - but now I don't."
'The Other Woman' actress has found a secret weapon to combat nerves - flashing a killer smile.
She revealed: "My mother always taught me that smiling when you walk into a room is the best beauty secret, so if I'm nervous when I walk in I just smile, and I think everyone warms to you quicker that way.
"Sometimes people look stern when I come on set, just because they're concentrating or getting ready for their day, but I'll chat and smile and finally I break them down!"

Lucy Hale felt "very uncomfortable" during her audition for 'Fifty Shades of Grey'.
The 'Pretty Little Liars' actress has opened up about her awkward read-through for the lead role of Anastasia Steele in the big screen adaptation of E.L. James' kinky erotic novel, which features a number of explicit S&M and bondage scenes.
Hale said: "It was a two-page monologue of exactly what you would think it would be. Very uncomfortable, but it was sort of one of those things where you just had to go for it or you're just gonna look lame - hopefully, I didn't look lame, but yeah. It was unlike any audition I have ever done before in my life."
The 24-year-old starlet admitted she was initially attracted to the role because it was something "different" and "risky" compared to her best known character, Aria Montgomery.
However, the brunette beauty is glad the part eventually went to Dakota Johnson because she would have been mortified if her family had watched her act out X-rated sex scenes with Irish hunk Jamie Dornan, who stars as Anastasia's love-interest Christian Grey in the film.
Hale added to MTV News: "Let's just say I wouldn't want my grandma watching this audition tape."

Tina Fey is to star in and produce an untitled witch movie. The 'Mean Girls' actress is in early development with Disney on a supernatural-themed movie, but it will not be a sequel to the 1993 film 'Hocus Pocus' despite rumours, Deadline reports. Th...

McBusted have written a song about breasts.
The McFly and Busted supergroup - made up of Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Dougie Poynter, Harry Judd, James Bourne and Matt Willis - have revealed their latest track was inspired by boobs and hope it will be considered an "appreciation" of the female physique, reports The Daily Star.
Matt, 31, said: "We have been writing a lot recently. I was writing with Dougie Poynter last night. We were writing a song about boobs.
"We couldn't write an album just about boobs - well, we could, me and Dougie would buy it."
Dougie, 26, explained: "It's an appreciation.
"Matt and James Bourne have been writing too, or we might write some more stuff about boobs."
Meanwhile, the boys - who are about to bring their sold-out UK tour to a close with a British Summer Time gig in London's Hyde Park on Sunday (06.07.14) - said they are "pumped" about the performance, although Matt admitted it has been an emotional time for the group.
James, 30, said: "We are super pumped."
Matt added: "This gig marks the end of the honeymoon period. I don't want to sound all lame but it's been everything I wanted it to be."

Alex Turner and Miles Kane are writing a film script together.
The Arctic Monkeys frontman and the 'Come Closer' singer, who also formed side-project The Last Shadow Puppets, have revealed they are working on an 'X-Men' style movie.
The pair, who "always talk", had a number one album 'The Age of Understatement' in 2008, which was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, and plan to release new music after penning the film script.
Asked when they will be working together again, Miles told Digital Spy: "It's something we always talk about y'know? But I think we're gonna write this film first anyway before we hit back into that."
Set in the 1960s, Miles described the film as having an "'X-Me' kind of vibe", and insists that he and Alex would not have major acting roles in the movie.
He said: "We're not planning to be [in the film] but we may have a little cameo."
Although the pair have never written a film before, they have worked in the industry, with Alex writing the soundtrack for Richard Ayoade's 2010 film 'Submarine', while Miles' former band The Rascals also had a small role in 2009 British film 'Awaydays'.