TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE Adds Paul Giamatti

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.