Emily Watson & Sophie Nelisse, The Book Thief

Two-time Oscar nominee Emily Watson and 13 year-old rising star Sophie Nelisse discuss their roles in The Book Thief, a film adaptation of Markus Zusack's best-selling novel of the same name.

Set in World War II Germany, The Book Thief focuses on the tenacious Leisel (Nelisse), living with her foster mother (Watson) and father outside Munich. Leisel escapes from the terrors of her daily life by stealing books to share with neighbors as well as the fugitive Jewish boy her family is hiding from the Gestapo in their cellar.

Watson starts off the conversation, touching on the Oscar-buzz surrounding her performance in the film as the "witchy" wife who finds fulfillment in taking care of her two young charges. Canadian-born Nelisse, on the other hand, proves herself to be very much the precocious young girl who enchanted moviegoers a year ago in her Oscar-nominated Best Foreign Language Film, directed by Monsieur Lazhar.

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