Jane Eyre' Stars Meet Fans at SFF

The following morning, Fukunaga and actor Michael Fassbender, who plays Lord Rochester, sat with fans and journalists at a "Coffee with..." session to discuss the film.

Both men talked about their backgrounds, and how they came to work together on "Jane Eyre."

Fassbender has stepped into the international limelight in two prominent roles, as Lt. Archie Hicox in Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" (2009), and as Magneto in "X-Men: First Class" (2011). But acting was not his first career choice.

"I wanted to be a guitarist in a band," he said. "But I was no good. Also, I was average at school. So at the age of 17, I started work as an actor. I didn't know what I was doing, but I did it with passion and heart."

Early in his career, Fassbender confided, he was willing to play anything.

"But after I became a name, I could think about roles," he said. "In 'Jane Eyre,' I play a character that is a rebel, but smart and sensible. He's defensive because he's been hurt, and because of that he's cold and cruel. Jane must save him, because he is about to fall into despair."

Fassbender said that he enjoyed working with Fukunaga.

"Cary is a smart and precise director," he said. "It was great working with him, and I am delighted with what we've done with 'Jane Eyre.'"

Fukunaga talked about his early work making music spots, and his interest in "Jane Eyre."

“I wanted to adapt something, and my sister and mother love Charlotte Brontë," he said. "It was because of them that I made this movie."

Fukunaga is about to start a new project, which he said will be a science-fiction film.