In 12 Years a Slave, which actor portrayed Solomon Northup?

Chiwetel Ejiofor portrayed Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave.

The 2013 historical drama is based on Northup’s 1853 memoir. Northup was a free Black man from New York who was kidnapped in 1841, sold into slavery, and held for 12 years before his rescue. The film follows his struggle to preserve his identity and survive the institution of slavery.

Steve McQueen directed the film, with Ejiofor in the leading role. Michael Fassbender plays the enslaver Edwin Epps, while Benedict Cumberbatch portrays William Ford and Brad Pitt appears as Canadian carpenter Bass.

Although often discussed alongside war films because it depicts the antebellum crisis that led to the American Civil War, 12 Years a Slave is specifically a historical drama about slavery rather than a battlefield film. Its screenplay and performances helped bring Northup’s documented experience to a wide international audience.