Paul Giamatti, Garret Dillahunt & Sarah Paulson Join ’12 Years A Slave’

Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Solomon Northrup, the New York State citizen who was kidnapped and made to work on a plantation in New Orleans in the 1800s. Steve McQueen (Hunger) directs from a script he co-wrote with John Ridley, based in part by Northrup’s memoir. Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, and Benedict Cumberbatch co-star.

Update: Variety adds that Paul Giamatti and Sarah Paulson have also joined the film. Giamatti will play Freeman who “takes possession of the slaves upon their arrival in New Orleans” while Paulson will be Michael Fassbender’s jealous wife.

There are few actors in Hollywood with the clout of Brad Pitt to ensure they line up with top talent for each outing, and if you’re able to impress the actor and producer, all the better. That seems to be the case of the excellent character actor Garret Dillahunt, who first starred opposite Pitt as the dim Ed Miller in “The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford.” He recently landed a small part in Andrew Dominik’s furious “Killing Them Softly” and while he didn’t make the final cut, Pitt wants his talent yet again.

Dillahunt is the latest to join Steve McQueen’s “Twelve Years A Slave,” which Pitt is producing and will have a small role in. He joins a pretty great cast that includes Michael Fassbender, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Adepero Oduye, Scoot McNairy, Ruth Negga and Taran Killam in the true story of Solomon Northup, a freed slave who is tricked back into slavery, and has to go court to reclaim his status. Dillahunt will play Armsby, a field hand who winds up working alongside Solomon.

Shooting on the pic begins later this month, and obviously, we’re pretty excited for this one.

Start Date: June 25, 2012 in New Orleans

Courtesy Playlist

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