12 Years A Slave Featurette - Chiwetel Ejiofor Becomes Solomon Northup

In this featurette released in conjunction with the movie, director Steve McQueen explains what drew him to the story. McQueen and actor Chiwetel Ejiofor share their thoughts on the real Solomon Northup, the history, the film and the character. The producers also weigh in.

12 Years a Slave is based on the autobiography of Solomon Northup, a free black man who was kidnapped in the North and sold into slavery. He worked on plantations in the state of Louisiana, where he remained for 12 years until he was released. Chiwetel Ejiofor portrays Solomon Northup and Brad Pitt is a Canadian carpenter who befriends Northup. Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Fassbender both portray slave owners. The movie is based on Solomon Northup's autobiography Twelve Years a Slave published in 1853.