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DramaHistory

12 Years a Slave

- The extraordinary true story of Solomon Northup

In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty as well as unexpected kindnesses Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist will forever alter his life.

Release Date : 2013-10-18

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : New Regency PicturesPlan B EntertainmentRiver Road EntertainmentRegency EnterprisesFilm4 Productions

Production Country : United States of AmericaUnited Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Character Name : Solomon Northup

Original Name : Chiwetel Ejiofor

Gender : Male

Michael Fassbender

Character Name : Edwin Epps

Original Name : Michael Fassbender

Gender : Male

Lupita Nyong'o

Character Name : Patsey

Original Name : Lupita Nyong'o

Gender : Female

Benedict Cumberbatch

Character Name : William Ford

Original Name : Benedict Cumberbatch

Gender : Male

Paul Dano

Character Name : John Tibeats

Original Name : Paul Dano

Gender : Male

Sarah Paulson

Character Name : Mary Epps

Original Name : Sarah Paulson

Gender : Female

Adepero Oduye

Character Name : Eliza

Original Name : Adepero Oduye

Gender : Female

Scoot McNairy

Character Name : Brown

Original Name : Scoot McNairy

Gender : Male

Paul Giamatti

Character Name : Theophilus Freeman

Original Name : Paul Giamatti

Gender : Male

Brad Pitt

Character Name : Samuel Bass

Original Name : Brad Pitt

Gender : Male

Michael Kenneth Williams

Character Name : Robert

Original Name : Michael Kenneth Williams

Gender : Male

Alfre Woodard

Character Name : Mistress Shaw

Original Name : Alfre Woodard

Gender : Female

Chris Chalk

Character Name : Clemens

Original Name : Chris Chalk

Gender : Male

Taran Killam

Character Name : Hamilton

Original Name : Taran Killam

Gender : Male

Bill Camp

Character Name : Radburn

Original Name : Bill Camp

Gender : Male

Kelsey Scott

Character Name : Anne Northup

Original Name : Kelsey Scott

Gender : Female

Bryan Batt

Character Name : Judge Turner

Original Name : Bryan Batt

Gender : Male

Quvenzhané Wallis

Character Name : Margaret Northup

Original Name : Quvenzhané Wallis

Gender : Female

Garret Dillahunt

Character Name : Armsby

Original Name : Garret Dillahunt

Gender : Male

Dwight Henry

Character Name : Uncle Abram

Original Name : Dwight Henry

Gender : Male

Dickie Gravois

Character Name : Overseer

Original Name : Dickie Gravois

Gender : Male

Ashley Dyke

Character Name : Anna

Original Name : Ashley Dyke

Gender : Female

Cameron Zeigler

Character Name : Alonzo Northup

Original Name : Cameron Zeigler

Gender : Male

Tony Bentley

Character Name : Mr. Moon

Original Name : Tony Bentley

Gender : Male

Christopher Berry

Character Name : Burch

Original Name : Christopher Berry

Gender : Male

Mister Mackey Jr.

Character Name : Randall

Original Name : Mister Mackey Jr.

Gender : Male

Craig Tate

Character Name : John

Original Name : Craig Tate

Gender : Male

Storm Reid

Character Name : Emily

Original Name : Storm Reid

Gender : Female

Tom Proctor

Character Name : Biddee

Original Name : Tom Proctor

Gender : Male

Marc Macaulay

Character Name : Captain

Original Name : Marc Macaulay

Gender : Male

Vivian Fleming-Alvarez

Character Name : Mulatto Woman

Original Name : Vivian Fleming-Alvarez

Gender : Female

Douglas M. Griffin

Character Name : Sailor

Original Name : Douglas M. Griffin

Gender : Male

John McConnell

Character Name : Jonus Ray

Original Name : John McConnell

Gender : Male

Marcus Lyle Brown

Character Name : Jasper

Original Name : Marcus Lyle Brown

Gender : Male

Richard Holden

Character Name : Fitzgerald

Original Name : Richard Holden

Gender : Male

Rob Steinberg

Character Name : Parker

Original Name : Rob Steinberg

Gender : Male

Anwan Glover

Character Name : Cape

Original Name : Anwan Glover

Gender : Male

James C. Victor

Character Name : Buyer

Original Name : James C. Victor

Gender : Male

Liza J. Bennett

Character Name : Mistress Ford

Original Name : Liza J. Bennett

Gender : Female

Nicole Collins

Character Name : Rachel

Original Name : Nicole Collins

Gender : Male

J.D. Evermore

Character Name : Chapin

Original Name : J.D. Evermore

Gender : Male

Andy Dylan

Character Name : Treach

Original Name : Andy Dylan

Gender : Male

Deneen Tyler

Character Name : Phebe

Original Name : Deneen Tyler

Gender : Female

Mustafa Harris

Character Name : Sam

Original Name : Mustafa Harris

Gender : Male

Gregory Bright

Character Name : Edward

Original Name : Gregory Bright

Gender : Male

Austin Purnell

Character Name : Bob

Original Name : Austin Purnell

Gender : Male

Thomas Francis Murphy

Character Name : Patroller

Original Name : Thomas Francis Murphy

Gender : Male

Andre De'Sean Shanks

Character Name : Victim 1

Original Name : Andre De'Sean Shanks

Gender : Male

Kelvin Harrison Jr.

Character Name : Victim 2

Original Name : Kelvin Harrison Jr.

Gender : Male

Scott M. Jefferson

Character Name : Master Shaw

Original Name : Scott M. Jefferson

Gender : Male

Isaiah Jackson

Character Name : Zachary

Original Name : Isaiah Jackson

Gender : Male

Topsy Chapman

Character Name : Slave Spiritual Singer 1

Original Name : Topsy Chapman

Gender : Male

Devin Maurice Evans

Character Name : Slave Spiritual Singer 2

Original Name : Devin Maurice Evans

Gender : Male

Jay Huguley

Character Name : Sheriff

Original Name : Jay Huguley

Gender : Male

Devyn A. Tyler

Character Name : Margaret Northup (adult)

Original Name : Devyn A. Tyler

Gender : Female

Willo Jean-Baptiste

Character Name : Margaret's Husband

Original Name : Willo Jean-Baptiste

Gender : Male

Jason Ament

Character Name : Cooke (uncredited)

Original Name : Jason Ament

Gender : Male

Jon Arthur

Character Name : Steamboat Crew 1st Mate (uncredited)

Original Name : Jon Arthur

Gender : Male

Sean Paul Braud

Character Name : Lynchman (uncredited)

Original Name : Sean Paul Braud

Gender : Male

Blake Burt

Character Name : Upper Class Pedestrian (uncredited)

Original Name : Blake Burt

Gender : Male

Carroll Burt

Character Name : Lower Class Pedestrian (uncredited)

Original Name : Carroll Burt

Gender : Male

Edward J. Clare

Character Name : Restaurant Patron (uncredited)

Original Name : Edward J. Clare

Gender : Male

JJ Coker

Character Name : Mr. Bartholomew (uncredited)

Original Name : JJ Coker

Gender : Male

Haylie Creppel

Character Name : Child in the Park (uncredited)

Original Name : Haylie Creppel

Gender : Female

Justin Edward Davis

Character Name : Saratoga Park Pedestrian (uncredited)

Original Name : Justin Edward Davis

Gender : Male

Jim Johnson

Character Name : Lower Class Pedestrian (uncredited)

Original Name : Jim Johnson

Gender : Male

Mark Joyce

Character Name : Street Merchant (uncredited)

Original Name : Mark Joyce

Gender : Male

John C. Klein

Character Name : Lumber Mill Customer (uncredited)

Original Name : John C. Klein

Gender : Male

Gerard 'Jerry' Lewis

Character Name : Slave Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Gerard 'Jerry' Lewis

Gender : Male

Kevonte Mcdonald

Character Name : Slave (uncredited)

Original Name : Kevonte Mcdonald

Gender : Male

Ritchie Montgomery

Character Name : Roadman (uncredited)

Original Name : Ritchie Montgomery

Gender : Male

Jason Owen

Character Name : Safty (uncredited)

Original Name : Jason Owen

Gender : Male

Shawn Parsons

Character Name : Road Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Shawn Parsons

Gender : Male

Haley Powell

Character Name : Slave Girl (uncredited)

Original Name : Haley Powell

Gender : Male

Wayne Pére

Character Name : Winslow (uncredited)

Original Name : Wayne Pére

Gender : Male

Terrell Ransom Jr.

Character Name : Slave Boy (uncredited)

Original Name : Terrell Ransom Jr.

Gender : Male

Erin Rementer

Character Name : Ballroom Dancer (uncredited)

Original Name : Erin Rementer

Gender : Male

Andre Robinson

Character Name : Slave Boy (uncredited)

Original Name : Andre Robinson

Gender : Male

Corrina Roshea Bobb

Character Name : Slave Buyer (uncredited)

Original Name : Corrina Roshea Bobb

Gender : Female

Jarett Shorts

Character Name : Hornboy (uncredited)

Original Name : Jarett Shorts

Gender : Male

Chaz Smith

Character Name : Cigar Smoker (uncredited)

Original Name : Chaz Smith

Gender : Male

Tyler Soerries

Character Name : Boy Playing in Park (uncredited)

Original Name : Tyler Soerries

Gender : Male

Tre Tureaud

Character Name : Saratoga Park Pedestrians (uncredited)

Original Name : Tre Tureaud

Gender : Male

Justin Christopher Vaughn

Character Name : Ezra (uncredited)

Original Name : Justin Christopher Vaughn

Gender : Male

Bob Walker

Character Name : Abolitionist Landowner (uncredited)

Original Name : Bob Walker

Gender : Male

Caroline Grace Williamson

Character Name : Ford Daughter (uncredited)

Original Name : Caroline Grace Williamson

Gender : Male

Timothy Wyant

Character Name : Ford Lumber Buyer (uncredited)

Original Name : Timothy Wyant

Gender : Male

Reviews

K

kineticandroid

@kineticandroid

2021-06-23

Sometimes, I just have to stop my brain in the middle of a film and just admire its exceptional craftsmanship. I found myself doing that time and time again during this film. Perhaps I was more open to admiring the shot compositions and acting choices because, as I cynically told myself before the film, it's not like I needed much convincing that slavery was bad. Or perhaps it was because I was shielding myself from the honest brutalities the film convincingly portrayed. Nonetheless, I was reminded of the film "Children of Men," because when I watched that, I was struck by how easily I could imagine a less engaging, more dumbed-down version of the same film. I haven't seen enough films about slavery to know this for certain, but I suspect that because many of this film's principals are British, telling a story about a free man who was forced into slavery, as opposed to one born into it, they were able to be gain some valuable distance from the subject and craft something that's both beautiful and feels true to life. And even though I thought I could not have been made to feel worse than I already did about slavery, the post-scripts on the lack of justice Solomon received for his kidnapping and the unknown causes of his death, helped keep the film from lapsing into a kind of "triumph of the spirit" happy ending others might have imposed.

A

Andres Gomez

@tanty

2021-06-23

This movie is very, very well done. Well, edited and with the proper long shots at the proper moments bringing you to the life of Solomon without remedy. All the cast performs exceptionally well and Ejiofor is to be remembered for this film. A must to be seen.

P

post_orgasmic_mood

@post_orgasmic_mood

2021-06-23

Not in a long time have I seen a movie that brings out real emotions from my cold hearted soul. This movie brought them out in floods of tears. the acting was superb, especially from the lead Chiwetel Ejiofor, he acted from his little toe right up to his eyes. The style was also filmed beautifully with some (extremely) painful long shots which pulled you into Solomons nightmare. Im not sure if its a film I could watch again, purely for the emotion but I would recommend this film to everyone.

S

Shreyance Parakh

@shiri4frnz

2021-06-23

**Dreaded at the thought that human kind ACTUALLY had this kind of livelihood at some point of time..** Could not gather my thoughts to write this review at the end of the movie.Feeling really bogged down by some heaviness on my chest. Thinking about the times in history when we actually used to do these atrocities on other human beings makes me cringe.To imagine waking up one day and find me in chains just because I'm a colored man and living my life like an unwanted child of god makes me question humanity altogether. Just sitting through a little over than 2 hours and watching this movie made my heart bleed, I can't even begin to think of the people who lived their entire lives as SLAVES... 12 years a slave heart breakingly makes you feel the pain and suffering of almost the entire human kind at one point of time or other. Direction by Steve McQueen is brilliant.Chiwetel Ejiofor plays a helpless slave in Solomon Northup to the hilt and also the small but impactive role played by Brad Pitt as a man with conscience is superb.Lupita Nyong'o's Patsey too was depicted heart warmingly. You can't help but question yourself that how could MAN stoop such low and do these cruel acts and that too over such a prolonged period of time without even a single ounce of doubt in his mind for what he would have to pay for his actions.. All in all a GEM of a movie showing one of the lowest point in human history !