It's not an uncommon thing for regular individuals to have a story so inspiring that Hollywood want to take it on, but for Reese Witherspoon, the story of Cheryl Strayed's 1,100 mile journey in her book 'Wild' was one of a kind.

Reese Witherspoon in 'Wild'
Reese Witherspoon admits 'Wild' book brought her to tears

Witherspoon's latest movie sees her play a very real woman, whose hardships in her life with drugs and bereavement encouraged her to go on a voyage of self-discovery by taking on the testing Pacific Crest Trail despite having never had any previous hiking experience. 'I read the first half of the book on a plane and I was just in tears', Witherspoon confesses. 'Then I just couldn't wait to get back to the book and I read the rest on the flight back. I said, 'I don't know who Cheryl Strayed is, but I need her number immediately.''

More: Watch the trailer for 'Wild'

Sure enough, with the backing of her production company Pacific Standard, she and co-producer Bruna Papandrea met Cheryl and took on the story, eventually with director Jean-Marc Vallée coming on board. 'I told Cheryl this is a rocket ship, so hold on - you are going to go so far with this book', says Witherspoon. 'I found her to be every bit the spiritual and emotional person that you'd expect. She's no nonsense, cuts through all the B.S. and just tells it like it is - the same things that people really responded to with her book.'

More: Reese Witherspoon talks about her new movie in 'Wild' featurettes (videos)

Strayed's memoir 'Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail' came out in 2012, so this remarkable film adaptation really couldn't have come any sooner. With its depiction of a strong independent woman with both flaws and super powers, it's no wonder it has been nominated for a Golden Globe in 2015.

More: Reese Witherspoon brings feminism to film