Oscar winners Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson play an unlikely pair looking for new beginnings in the offbeat comedy 'Last Chance Harvey,' and they make a strong case to ET's Thea Andrews for late-blooming love!

"I think [a second chance at love] exists; it may not exist to the degree that we would like it to, but it's there," says Dustin, adding with a laugh, "Maybe not in Los Angeles. You shouldn't be lookin' in this town. Love of one's self, maybe."

"I love watching people who are not 18 falling in love," says Emma. "When you're older, it's fraught with difficulties, really, and it's very frightening as well."

In select theaters Christmas Day (and expanding in January), 'Last Chance Harvey' stars Dustin as a down-on-his-luck jingle writer who flies to London to attend his daughter's wedding, only to find out that she'd prefer her step-dad (James Brolin) to give her away at the altar. Dejected, he tries to skip out on the reception, only to meet Emma Thompson's lonely character at the airport. The two strike up a conversation, and soon a relationship of possibilities -- and second chances -- blossoms.

Emma and Dustin first worked on 'Stranger Than Fiction' together and were keen to work with each other again. When the concept for 'Harvey' came across her desk, Emma says she jumped at the chance to film it and requested that the writer tailor-make Harvey's part for Dustin.

"We're both character actors and have never thought of ourselves as particularly interesting or attractive, and so we have a commonality there," says Emma. "But we were sort of ready at our ages -- I'm nearly 50, Dustin's 70 -- to play romantic leads for the first time, if you like -- but particular kind of character romantic leads; people who aren't obviously romantic like, well, let's face it, most of us."

"I've always wanted to show, as best as I could, people that are closer to what people are, and not 'movie' people," adds Dustin.

Watch ET for more with Dustin and Emma!