
Within days after adding
Benedict Cumberbatch to his adaptation of Solomon Northup's memoir, filmmaker
Steve McQueen continued to round out the cast of his period drama
Twelve Years a Slave.
The latest additions to the project include Oscar-nominee
Paul Giamatti (Sideways), Golden Globe-nominee
Sarah Paulson (Martha Marcy May Marlene) and excellent character actor
Garret Dillahunt (Raising Hope).
Trio join
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Cumberbatch,
Scoot McNairy and
Ruth Negga.
Giamatti will be playing the ironically-named character of Freeman, a man who takes control of the slaves once they reach New Orleans, while Paulson will play Fassbender's jealous wife. As for Dillahunt, he will play a fellow field hand who works alongside Ejiofor's character.
Twelve Years a Slave will begin a seven-week shoot around New Orleans on June 25th.
While you are waiting on a finished product you can read the full text of Northrup's original writing online at
Documenting the American South.
