Chiwetel Ejiofor Admits Hesitation Before Accepting '12 Years A Slave'Role

Chiwetel Ejiofor has admitted that the decision to take the starring role in the 

critically-lauded 12 Years A Slave was by no means an easy one.

The actor is hotly tipped to scoop an Oscar nomination after already securing a nod from the Golden Globes.

However, when the script first came his way, he more than felt the pressure of the task at hand.

"When I read the script, I thought it was an extraordinary story but I did feel the weight and the responsibility of it," he told the BBC. "I didn't want to be the guy that messed it up... I just questioned myself and was stuck for a moment with the questions of whether I could do (it).

"Is there somebody else who has more access to this than you do? Can you get to all the places you need to get to in order to play this role and satisfy it? Is it going to be something that looking back on it you're proud of, or embarrassed, or worried by?

"My head was filled with all those questions."

The movie, directed by Steve McQueen, is based on the true story of an African-American man born free but later kidnapped and sold into slavery.