Les Miserables opened on Christmas day to great success, with a record $18.2 million for a December 25th release. The star-studded cast seem to have managed to bring the magic of the original stage show to live on the big screen, and two of them - Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman - have opened up about the challenge of such a project.

Hathaway described her role as Fantine as a mixture of "anxiety, gratitude, excitement and nerves," to The Telegraph, saying "There wasn't anything about this job that wasn't daunting," and that "It was exciting to work with everyone, to hear what they were doing." According to the Dark Knight Rises star, her colleagues boosted her performance in the film. "I think hearing how talented everyone else was pushed us all on, pushed me on at least," she explained.

It was a similar situation for Jackman, who enjoyed his turn as Jean Valjean, and who's backround in musicals gave him confidence in such a challenging role. "It certainly for me felt like the biggest challenge I have had. I have never been on the front foot so much for a part," he explained to Dawn.com. "I was quite aggressive going for it. It felt like the right time. Once I got the part I will admit to you there were times when I went, 'Oh maybe I have bit off more than I can chew here,' because it is a pretty daunting role in every way - physically, vocally, emotionally."