Oscar Nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor's Sister Zain Breaks Down Over His Oscar Nomination.

Oh, what a wonderful morning it's been! 12 Years a Slave's Chiwetel Ejiofor isn't the only one overjoyed by his Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role. In a heartfelt, and very emotional interview, Ejiofor's sister Zain Asher broke down on live television while discussing what this recognition means to her and the British star's family.

"Honestly, I could not sleep last night. I really couldn't," CNN reporter Asher, said on Thursday Jan. 16. "This was so emotional for me because  I'm going to try not to cry  this was a day that my family has really been hoping for and waiting for, for such a long time. Chiwetel he's been acting since he's 13 years old and oh my god! I told myself I wasn't going to cry. I do feel so emotional now," she said tearfully.

"He's worked so hard for this and growing up with him he was always in his bedroom practicing Shakespeare lines and writing Shakespeare on the wall. I would go out with my friends and I would come home and in the morning he would be reciting Measure for Measure and in the evening it would be Othello."

She continued: "He's someone who's really dedicated and an actor's actor. He's been acting for over 20 years, and so to finally see recognition for his work I can't even describe the feeling."

"There's so many amazing actors and so he's in good company," Asher said of her brother. "You just never know how these things are going to go and so yesterday was very emotional for me, my mother, both of my brothers and sister so I wasn't really sure when I was watching the nominations what was going to happen."

Happy for him.