- Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup, a free African-American man who is captured and sold into slavery. McQueen compared Ejiofor's conduct "of class and dignity" to that of Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte.[1] Ejiofor said (insert quotes about playing the man here)
- Michael Fassbender as Edwin Epps, a plantation owner and one of Northup's masters (not sure this is PC, but I don't know what else to put). Fassbender said (ditto)
- Benedict Cumberbatch as Ford, a kind-hearted plantation owner who purchases Northup at an auction. Cumberbatch said (ditto)
- Paul Dano as Tibeats, one of Ford's overseers who resents Northup. Dano said (you get it)
- Paul Giamatti as Freeman, a slave auctioneer who sells Northup to Ford. Giamatti...
- Lupita Nyong'o as Patsey, one of Epps's slaves and the subject of his affection (or something like that). Nyong'o...
- Sarah Paulson as Mistress Epps, Edwin Epps's violent wife. Paulson... (or something about how the character treats Patsey)
- Brad Pitt as Bass, a Canadian carpenter and abolitionist. Pitt...
- Alfre Woodard as Mistress Shaw, a free African-American woman who befriends Patsey. Woodard...
Garret Dillahunt portrays Armsby, a white field hand at the Epps plantation. Scoot McNairy and Taran Killam portray Northup's kidnappers Brown and Hamilton, respectively. Beasts of the Southern Wild stars Quvenzhané Wallis[2] and Dwight Henry have small roles as a young Margaret Northup and Uncle Abram, respectively, though they do not share any scenes together. Additional cast members include Adepero Oduye as Eliza, Michael Kenneth Williams as Robert, Chris Chalk as Clemens, and Bill Camp as Radburn.
- ^ Truitt, Brian (June 18, 2013). "First look: 'Twelve Years a Slave'". USA Today. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
- ^ Chitwood, Adam (August 2, 2012). "Set Photo Confirms BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD Star Quvenzhane Wallis Has Joined Steve McQueen's TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE". Collider.com. Retrieved June 24, 2014.