Anne Hathaway has admitted to shedding tears while watching herself in 'Les Miserables'.

The actress - who plays troubled prostitute Fantine in the big screen adaptation of the hit musical - admits she can't help but weep while watching the scene where she performs 'I Dreamed A Dream'.

Hathaway said she was moved because she felt so heartbroken by her character's struggle - and experience of playing the character.

Speaking to MTV News, she explained: 'I cry, but I think it's because I'm still connected to the experience of making it, the process.

'For me, when I see it, I actually have to be aware when I'm doing press, because it brings me a lot closer to Fantine. She's so broken that I actually have to protect myself a little bit. So when I saw it, I did cry, but not because of what I was doing on screen. It was because I was back in the process of making it. The rest of the film made me bawl like a baby.'

The 30-year-old screen siren previously revealed she fought for the role of Fantine, and worked hard to convince director Tom Hooper to give her the part.

She said: 'I was told they weren't sure I was young enough for some of the other parts but maybe I wasn't young enough for Fantine. Do you ever have those moments when the fire in your belly just consumes you? I said that I needed to get in a room and we would figure this out. So I got my audition and just left it all on the floor; gave it everything.'