one woman who probably never thought she'd be among that crowd is philomena lee, the inspiration for ted for three golden globes, including best picture. some have criticized the film as being anti-catholic because of its honest portrayal of the nuns who force philomena to give up her son for adoption against her will and later made it nearly made it impossible for her to find him. but when you talk to philomena, as i had the honor of doing, it's clear her story actually represents the best of what faith is about. love and forgiveness. philomena, i'd like to start with you. did you ever think that your life story or this part of your life story would be a film and that you'd be going to the golden globes, nominated for an award? >> never in 100 years. never realized ever when i first told my daughter the story ten years ago. i didn't know it was going to be a booklet let alone a film >> how exciting was it when you found out judy would be playing you? >> what more could i ask for such a beautiful lovely lady taking my part, playing my story? absolutely wonderful. wonderful altogether.

fact it was an image of laughter that originally drew coogan to the real life story of the real philomena lee herself and martin sixsmith the journalist their both laughing. i thought, that's so odd that this sad, sad story, there she is laughing. i thought, get the laughter in the story. then there's -- it could be something which is enjoyable. otherwise it would make depressing film. >> a lot of americans are -- what if it happened to him. because of the size of the portions? >> his long history with humor wasn't apple's plus when he met the real philomena, her daughter was a tough sell. >> she was suspicion by what does this comedy guy want to do with my mom. i had to win the trust, not going t be broad comedy, the respect for your mom and honor her. >> what's done is done. what do you expect us to do about it now? >> nothing. >> we did that, we do have -- when chips are on the table we got the guts to be serious. >> i tell what you you can do, say sorry, how about that, apologize. don't cover things up. >> coogan was able to win their trust because philomena lee and steven john coogan see

judy dench has been nominated for three golden globes for her portrayal of the real philomena lee. >>t. >> perhaps they can help with the details. >> i don't think that's going to be possible. >> you're a journalist. >> i used to be. >> a roman catholic -- >> yes, no i used to be. >> fiphilomena lee and her daughter join me now from burbank. how do you feel about the portrayal of -- excuse me, the portrayal of yourself in the film? >> at first we didn't know what to make of it. we were working on it for last ten years. as i say, once we got judy dench portrayed me quite well indeed. she's done a good job. >> and there's again a lot of criticism that the film is anti-catholic and now today the newest attack comes from the catholic league, which says in a statement, that this is a tale about an irish teenager who abandoned her out of wedlock son and because of the good efforts of nuns adopted by an american couple. it maligns the nuns as well as catholic teachings. i'd like you to give you a chance to respond to that. >> i did not abandon my son. i did not. anthony was born on july the

. >> reporter: martin took some license writing the story of philomena lee's search for her son who wasn't complain if the movie did the same. >> i had conversations, it had recreated scenes and it in itself was a drama at that indication of the real life story and making the movie from the book is one more step. you have to accommodate the material to the medium in which you are telling the story. >> all right, ladies and gents. >> reporter: some stories don't lend themselves to being toll exactly as they happened. do they even need to be accurate if they are entertainment? >> the problem that the studios and the filmmakers are presenting their work as truthful. and if you are going to present it as truthful on the one hand, and then once you are scrutinized and say it's not that truthful, we made a lot of stuff up then you put yourself in a real predicament. >> reporter: mel weinberg doesn't care. to him it really is just a move. >> i i was never a movie person. i led the real thing all my life. why would you want to go movies? my whole life was one big movie. >> reporter: now there i

philomena and her search for the boy on this book. she was an unwed teen in ireland sent away like many young moms at the time to the nuns to give birth. they put leend forced her 20 give up her son when he was 3 and ultimately kept her from ever meeting him. >> i'm not abandoning my child. he was taken from me. >> she spent her trying to find him. >> i met him. at the white house. >> dear god. what is he like. do you remember what he said. >> hello. >> hello. >> or it may have been hi. >> that was the trailer. you get the real life philomena who joins me next to the film's director who was up for a golden globe for best screen play. congratulations and welcome. philomena, with you, the film spent a lot of time about how your son was taken from you. can you tick me back to the decades and decades ago and recount the last moments when you saw that little boy drive away. >> i could not believe it when he was taken away from me. i had one of the nice nuns. she came down and said come quickly. come up the stairs and look out the window. your boy is being driven away in the car with the little girl adopted with him, mary. i kept that picture in my all m