Difficult to understand fame: Chiwetel Ejiofor

Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, who rose to fame with Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave", says he struggles to comprehend being famous.

The 37-year-old actor says he is conscious that his profile has risen markedly since appearing in the acclaimed film, but still struggles to put his new-found status in context, reported Guardian.

"I don't know what all of these things mean yet. In terms of stratification, fame, renown, all these things, it's like an ongoing process of trying to work out what it means.

"Obviously, I'm aware that people react slightly differently to me. It's not like people were rude before, and suddenly they're polite. But yeah, you notice a slight shift, that people are slightly more aware of you - in the street, or whatever," he said.