An upcoming movie starring Brad Pitt, Paul Giamatti and Michael Fassbender filmed a scene inside Destrehan Plantation’s Mule Barn last Wednesday.
The movie, “Twelve Years a Slave,” is based on a book published in 1853 that tells the true story of Solomon Northup. Northup was a free African American who was kidnapped in New York and sold into slavery in Louisiana. He was eventually freed twelve years later thanks to the help of a Canadian carpenter who didn’t believe in slavery.
The title role is played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, who is best known for his work in “American Gangster” and “Salt,” which starred Angelina Jolie. Fassbender plays Edwin Epps, who owns the cotton plantation.
Pitt is producing the movie, but there are currently no details on who he will play in the film.
This is the first movie that has been filmed at Destrehan Plantation since 1994’s “Interview with the Vampire,” according to plantation Executive Director Nancy Robert.
“It just so happened that we were able to accommodate their schedule,” she said. “We’re excited about all the activity.”
Robert said she was told to expect 100 people at the plantation to help shoot the scene on Wednesday. The Mule Barn was transformed into the barn of a cotton plantation with cotton littering the ladders, floor and ceiling inside.
“They had about seven location scouts come out to the plantation a few months ago and they were really set on doing a scene in the barn,” Robert said. “They showed me a picture of what a cotton plantation barn looked like back then, and they made the mule barn look exactly like the picture.”
Robert said the filmmakers wanted to film inside Destrehan Plantation, but that the plantation was unable to close for three days.
She said that the Mule Barn will be featured as “Epp’s Barn” in the film.
“Twelve Years a Slave” is directed by Steve McQueen and is scheduled for release in 2013.
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