Los Angeles, Jan 28 : Actress Keira Knightley is hoping that her "Love Actually" co-star Chiwetel Ejiofor will win the best actor in a leading role category at the 86th Academy Awards for his performance as Solomon Northup in the movie "12 Years A Slave".

Ejiofor is up against Matthew McConaughey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale and Bruce Dern.

"I loved '12 Years A Slave' so that would be my favourite. I worked with Chiwetel and he is such a phenomenal actor. He is one of the actor's actors. So I think it is wonderful that he is getting the recognition that he's deserved for such a long time," Knightley said in a statement.

Set in the 1900s "12 Years A Slave", directed by Steve McQueen, is the story of Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, who is abducted and sold into slavery.

"12 Years A Slave" will hit the screen in India Friday. (IANS)

Source: Top News