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50 free 12 Years a Slave trivia questions with answers — entertainment quiz, new questions added Aug 2026.
This 12 Years a Slave trivia quiz covers Steve McQueen's 2013 Best Picture winner and the 1853 memoir behind it. It follows Solomon Northup from Saratoga Springs to Washington, the slave pen, the name Platt, William Ford's plantation and the noose, Edwin Epps and Patsey, the letter that is burned, the Canadian carpenter Samuel Bass and the ride home. Behind the scenes it covers how McQueen's partner found the book, Brad Pitt's Plan B backing the film, the four Louisiana plantations used as locations, the seven-week shoot, Sean Bobbitt's 35mm anamorphic photography and the Goya comparison, Patricia Norris's thousand costumes, Hans Zimmer's score, and the credit dispute between McQueen and screenwriter John Ridley. A separate round covers the real Northup and his memoir, its rediscovery in 1968, and the 86th Academy Awards, where the film's win made McQueen the first Black director of a Best Picture winner and Lupita Nyong'o won for her debut. Every answer was checked against encyclopaedia entries before publishing.
30 of 50 questions with answers and explanations. Play the quiz
Q 01Who directed 12 Years a Slave?
Steve McQueen
His previous films were Hunger and Shame.
Q 02Who plays Solomon Northup?
Chiwetel Ejiofor
He won the BAFTA for Best Actor and was Oscar-nominated.
Q 03What is Northup's profession before he is kidnapped?
Violinist
He lives with his wife and two children in Saratoga Springs, New York.
Q 04In which city is Northup drugged and delivered to a slave pen?
Washington, D.C.
Brown and Hamilton lure him there with the promise of musical work.
Q 05What slave name is Northup given by the trader Theophilus Freeman?
Platt
The identity is that of a runaway from Georgia.
Q 06Who plays the slave trader Freeman?
Paul Giamatti
Paul Dano plays the carpenter Tibeats.
Q 07Who plays William Ford, Northup's first owner?
Benedict Cumberbatch
The film undercuts Ford, though Northup's book called him 'a more kind, noble, candid, Christian man' than any other.
Q 08What does Ford give Northup as a gift?
A violin
Northup later destroys it in rage after being forced to whip Patsey.
Q 09Which carpenter tries to lynch Northup after Northup beats him?
John Tibeats
The overseer stops it, but Northup is left on tiptoes with the noose around his neck for hours.
Q 10Who plays the sadistic plantation owner Edwin Epps?
Michael Fassbender
It was his third film with McQueen after Hunger and Shame.
Q 11Who plays Patsey?
Lupita Nyong'o
It was her first feature film role, straight out of Yale, and won her the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.
Q 12Why does Epps whip Patsey nearly to death?
She went to a neighbouring plantation for soap
Mrs. Epps would not let her have any soap.
Q 13Who plays Mary Epps, the jealous wife?
Sarah Paulson
Alfre Woodard plays Mistress Harriet Shaw.
Q 21Who wrote the screenplay?
John Ridley
He and McQueen reportedly feuded over shared credit and didn't thank each other at the Oscars.
Q 22Who found Northup's memoir and brought it to McQueen?
His partner, Bianca Stigter
McQueen said it read like Anne Frank's diary written 97 years earlier.
Q 23In which state was the film shot?
Louisiana
Four historic antebellum plantations were used as locations.
Q 24Which plantation location is nearest to where the real Northup was held?
Q 14What destroys Epps's crop, forcing him to lease his slaves out?
Cotton worms
Judge Turner favours Northup and lets him keep his fiddling earnings.
Q 15Who betrays Northup after taking his money to mail a letter?
Armsby
Northup convinces Epps the man is lying and burns the letter.
Q 16Which Canadian labourer finally helps Northup get word to New York?
Samuel Bass
He cites his Christian faith to castigate Epps over slavery.
Q 17Who plays Bass?
Brad Pitt
His company Plan B Entertainment backed the film.
Q 18What are Northup and Bass building when Northup confides in him?
A gazebo
The sheriff arrives soon after with a shopkeeper Northup knew in New York.
Q 19Who arrives with the sheriff to identify Northup?
Mr. Parker, a shopkeeper he knew in New York
Epps tries to stop Northup leaving but is rebuffed.
Q 20What is the name of the grandson introduced at the homecoming?
Solomon Northup Staunton
His daughter has married in his absence.
Magnolia
Ejiofor described the feeling as 'dancing with ghosts'.
Q 25How long did principal photography take?
Seven weeks
It ran from June 27 to August 13, 2012, on a $22 million budget.
Q 26Which painter did McQueen cite as a visual reference for depicting violence beautifully?
Francisco Goya
The film deliberately avoided a desaturated, gritty documentary look.
Q 27Roughly how many costumes did designer Patricia Norris create?
About 1,000
She took earth samples from the plantations to match the clothes.
Q 28Who composed the score?
Hans Zimmer
Nicholas Britell wrote the on-screen fiddle music, performed by Tim Fain.
Q 29Which spiritual did John Legend cover for the soundtrack?
Roll, Jordan, Roll
It debuted online three weeks before the album.
Q 30How many Oscars did the film win?
Three
Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay and Supporting Actress, from nine nominations.