12 Years a Slave Featurette - A Portrait of Solomon Northup

This featurette, released just prior to the movie, features interviews by the director and actors as they reflect on Solomon Northup's autobiography and actor Chiwetel Ejiofor's performance. The film's main stars are featured, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o, Sarah Paulson and Alfre Woodard.

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.