Ciarán Hinds

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**Ciarán Hinds** (Template:IPAc-en; born 9 February 1953) is an Irish actor. A versatile character actor, he has appeared in feature films such as *The Sum of All Fears*, *Road to Perdition*, *Munich*, *There Will Be Blood*, *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2*, *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy*, *Frozen*, *Silence*, *Red Sparrow*, *Justice League*, *First Man*, and *Frozen II*.

His television roles include Gaius Julius Caesar in the series *Rome*, DCI James Langton in *Above Suspicion*, and Mance Rayder in *Game of Thrones*. As a stage actor Hinds has enjoyed spells with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre in London, and six seasons with Glasgow Citizens' Theatre, and he has continued to work on stage throughout his career.

## Early life

Hinds was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Brought up as a Catholic in North Belfast, he was one of five children and the only son of his doctor father and schoolteacher and amateur actress mother.

He was an Irish dancer in his youth and was educated at Holy Family Primary School and St. Malachy's College. After leaving St. Malachy's, he enrolled as a law student at Queen's University, Belfast, but was soon persuaded to pursue acting and abandoned his studies at Queen's to enroll at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, finishing in 1975.

## Career

Hinds began his professional acting career at the Glasgow Citizens' Theatre in a production of *Cinderella* (1976). He remained a frequent performer at the Citizens' Theatre during the late 1970s and through the mid-1980s. During this same period, Hinds also performed on stage in Ireland with the Abbey Theatre, the Field Day Theatre Company, the Druid Theatre, the Lyric Players' Theatre and at the Project Arts Centre. In 1987, he was cast by Peter Brook in *The Mahabharata*, a six-hour theatre piece that toured the world, and he also featured in its 1989 film version. Hinds almost missed the casting call in Paris due to difficulties renewing his Irish passport. In the early 1990s, he was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

He appeared in the title role of the RSC's production of *Richard III* in 1993, directed by Sam Mendes, who turned to Hinds as a last minute replacement for an injured Simon Russell Beale. Hinds gained his most popular recognition as a stage actor for his performance as Larry in the London and Broadway productions of Patrick Marber's Tony Award-nominated play *Closer*. In 1999, Hinds was awarded both the Theatre World Award for Best Debut in New York and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Special Achievement (Best Ensemble Cast Performance) for his work in *Closer*. He was on stage in 2001 in *The Yalta Game* by Brian Friel at Dublin's Gate Theatre. He appeared on Broadway in *The Seafarer* by Conor McPherson, which ran at the Booth Theatre from December 2007 through March 2008. In February 2009 he took the leading role of General Sergei Kotov in *Burnt by the Sun* by Peter Flannery at London's National Theatre. Hinds returned to the stage later in 2009 with a role in Conor McPherson's play *The Birds*, which opened at Dublin's Gate Theatre in September 2009.

Hinds made his feature film debut in John Boorman's *Excalibur* in 1981. He played Captain Frederick Wentworth in Jane Austen's *Persuasion* in 1995, Jonathan Reiss in *Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life* and John Traynor in *Veronica Guerin*, both in 2003, and Firmin in the film version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's *The Phantom of the Opera* in 2004. Hinds also played Carl, a professional assisting a group of assassins, in Steven Spielberg's political thriller, *Munich* in 2005. In 2006, he appeared in Michael Mann's film adaptation of the 80's television show, *Miami Vice*, and as Herod the Great in *The Nativity Story*. In the 2006 film *Amazing Grace*, Hinds portrayed Sir Banastre Tarleton, one of the chief opponents of abolition of the slave trade in Parliament. He starred in *Margot at the Wedding*, alongside Nicole Kidman, Jack Black and Jennifer Jason Leigh, in a comedy-drama about family secrets and relationships. He also appeared in 2007's *There Will Be Blood*, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.

On television, Hinds portrayed Gaius Julius Caesar in the first season of BBC/HBO's series, *Rome* in 2006. He has also been featured in a number of made-for-television films, including the role of Michael Henchard in Thomas Hardy's *The Mayor of Casterbridge* in 2004, for which he received the Irish Film and Television Award for Best Actor in a Dramatic Series. Additional television performances include Edward Parker-Jones in the crime drama series *Prime Suspect 3* (1993), Abel Mason in Dame Catherine Cookson's *The Man Who Cried* (1993), Jim Browner in *The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes* episode "The Cardboard Box" (1994), Fyodor Glazunov in the science fiction miniseries *Cold Lazarus* (1996), Edward Rochester in Charlotte Brontë's *Jane Eyre* (1997), the Knight Templar Brian de Bois-Guilbert in Sir Walter Scott's *Ivanhoe* (1997) and a portrayal of the French existentialist Albert Camus in *Broken Morning* (2003).

Hinds was featured in two notable television docudramas: Granada Television's docudrama *Who Bombed Birmingham?* (1990) in which Hinds portrayed Richard McIlkenny, a Belfastman falsely imprisoned for an IRA bombing; and HBO's docudrama *Hostages* (1993), where he portrayed Irish writer and former hostage Brian Keenan. Hinds starred opposite Kelly Reilly in *Above Suspicion*, a TV adaptation of Lynda La Plante's detective story, which was broadcast in the United Kingdom in January 2009; he returned for the sequels *The Red Dahlia* (2010), *Deadly Intent* (2011) and *Silent Scream* (2012). Hinds has performed in audiobook and radio productions as well. He performed as Valmont in the BBC Radio production of *Les Liaisons Dangereuses*, and also narrated the Penguin Audiobook *Ivanhoe*. He also performed in *Antony and Cleopatra* and *The Winter's Tale* as part of *The Complete Arkangel Shakespeare*, an audio production of Shakespeare's plays which won the 2004 Audie Award for Best Audio Drama. He read the short story "A Painful Case" for the Caedmon Audio version of James Joyce's *Dubliners*.Template:Citation needed

Hinds played the role of Albus Dumbledore's brother Aberforth in *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2*, the final film in the *Harry Potter* series. Also in 2011, he appeared as David Peretz in the 1997 sections of *The Debt* alongside Helen Mirren and Tom Wilkinson. Hinds played Roy Bland in the 2011 adaptation of the John le Carré's *Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy*.

In September 2011, Hinds returned to the Abbey Theatre in Dublin to star as Captain Jack Boyle in a revival of Seán O'Casey's *Juno and the Paycock*, alongside Sinéad Cusack as Juno. The production transferred to the National Theatre of Great Britain in November 2011 for a three-month run. He played "Jim" in the film *The Shore* (2011), written and directed by Terry George. *The Shore* won the Best Short Film, Live Action category at the 84th Annual Academy Awards (The Oscars) in 2012.

In 2013, he was cast as the wildling leader Mance Rayder in Season 3 of the HBO television series *Game of Thrones*. He reprised this role in Season 4, and reprised it once more in Season 5. On Broadway at The Richard Rodgers Theater in New York, he was Big Daddy to Scarlett Johansson in *Cat on a Hot Tin Roof*, which began previews on 18 December 2012 and opened on 17 January 2013.

In the summer of 2013, he performed at the Donmar Warehouse in London in the premiere production of *The Night Alive*, a play by Conor McPherson, which transferred in November 2013, with Hinds in the lead role, to the Atlantic Theater Company in New York.

In 2015, he was in *Hamlet* alongside Benedict Cumberbatch at the London Barbican, playing King Claudius.

In 2016, he appeared as Deputy Governor Danforth in the Broadway production of Arthur Miller's play *The Crucible* alongside Saoirse Ronan and Ben Whishaw.

Hinds played giant-sized villain Steppenwolf in Zack Snyder's 2017 superhero film *Justice League*. Disappointed with the reshoots and changes made by Joss Whedon, Hinds was vocal about his hopes for the release of Snyder's cut, calling it superior to the final theatrical cut.

## Personal life

Hinds lives in Paris with Hélène Patarot. They met in 1987 while in the cast of Peter Brook's production of *The Mahabharata* and have a daughter, Aoife, born in 1991.

Hinds is a friend of Liam Neeson and served as a pallbearer at the funeral of Neeson's wife, actress Natasha Richardson, in upstate New York in 2009.

## References

1. ↑ "Irish names 101 with actor Ciaran Hinds". Associated Press. 20 June 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GcodBcAnkM. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
2. ↑ Ian Wylie (22 December 2003). "Festive T.V. Back from the Dead". *Manchester Online*. http://www.ciaranhinds.eu/interviews.php. Retrieved 17 December 2018. "and I'm very Irish"
3. ↑ "Character Actor Ciaran Hinds: Best Reason to Visit Ireland?". https://rogersmovienation.com/2016/06/25/ciaran-hinds-best-reason-to-visit-ireland/. Retrieved 16 December 2018. "Ciarán Hinds is so Irish – so very Irish – that he spends his days in puzzled wonder at how rarely he’s asked to play his lineage...'But my dream is still to be offered these wonderful little Irish films, in Donegal or Derry. It’s good for my Irish soul."
4. ↑ "',Jane Eyre', Interview, A&E". Angelfire.com. http://www.angelfire.com/biz7/abletree/aelong.htm. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
5. ↑ "',Festive T.V. Back from the Dead', Manchester Online". Ciaranhinds.eu. 22 December 2003. http://www.ciaranhinds.eu/inter.php?cle=int34. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
6. ↑ Barlow, Helen (25 April 2010). "His mild Irish heart", *The Age* (Australia). Retrieved on 9 September 2010.
7. ↑ "Ciaran Hinds profile at FilmReference.com". Filmreference.com. http://www.filmreference.com/film/3/Ciaran-Hinds.html. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
8. ↑ [1]Template:Webarchive
9. ↑ "A Familiar Face". Ciaranhinds.eu. 28 January 2006. http://www.ciaranhinds.eu/inter.php?cle=int19. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
10. ↑ "Star Ciarán's early career was a drag". Belfast Telegraph. 3 February 2008. http://www.sundaylife.co.uk/news/article3398049.ece. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
11. ↑ "From Belfast to Broadway". *The Herald Magazine*. Ciaranhinds.eu. 23 February 2008. http://www.ciaranhinds.eu/inter.php?cle=int79. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
12. ↑ "RADA 1975". https://www.rada.ac.uk/profiles?aos=acting&yr=1975&fn=ciaran&sn=hinds.
13. ↑ McGlone, Jackie (2008). "Papering the walls with a picture of Hinds". ciaranhinds.eu. http://www.ciaranhinds.eu/inter.php?cle=int197. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
14. ↑ Coveney, Michael (5 March 2009). "Burnt by the Sun, National Theatre, London", *The Independent* (UK). Retrieved on 21 May 2009.
15. ↑ Strain, Arthur (6 December 2006). "Star shines in Herod nativity role", *BBC News*. Retrieved on 30 April 2010.
16. ↑ "'Game of Thrones' casts 'Rome' actor as Mance Rayder". *EW.com*. http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/08/17/game-of-thrones-mance-rayder/. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
17. ↑ "Press Roundup: Maisie Williams teases season 5; the cast share awkward fan encounters; Ciarán Hinds confirms his return". *Watchers on the Wall*. https://twitter.com/WatchersOTWall/status/494553717157273600. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
18. ↑ Hughes, Mark (18 January 2013). "UK Telegraph review of NY "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"", *The Daily Telegraph* (London). Retrieved on 18 August 2013.
19. ↑ Hampton, Wilborn (18 January 2013). "Huffington Post review of "Big Daddy" in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"". Retrieved on 18 August 2013.
20. ↑ "UK Guardian review of NY "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"". https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/jan/18/cat-on-a-hot-tin-roof-review. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
21. ↑ "Sophie Okonedo, Ciaran Hinds, Ben Whishaw & Saoirse Ronan Set for The Crucible Revival", Broadway Buzz (6 August 2015). Retrieved on 15 April 2016.
22. ↑ Seth, McDonald. "Justice League: Ciaran Hinds Says The Snyder Cut Is Better Than The Theatrical". https://lrmonline.com/news/cairan-hinds-says-the-snyder-cut-is-better-than-the-theatrical/. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
23. ↑ "Ciarán Hinds – Biography". Ciaranhinds.eu. http://www.ciaranhinds.eu/bio.htm. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
24. ↑ "Tribune.ie". Ciaranhinds.eu. 12 April 2009. http://www.ciaranhinds.eu/inter.php?cle=int127. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
25. ↑ Stanhope, Kate (September 29, 2016). "Jared Harris to Star in AMC Anthology Series 'The Terror'". THR. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/jared-harris-star-terror-amc-933849. Retrieved September 29, 2016.

## Further reading

* Ciarán Hinds, entretien réalisé par Andréa Grunert,le 16 décembre 2008 http://www.objectif-cinema.com (March 2009) p. 1–10. [Interview/French]
* GRUNERT, Andrea. "Ciarán Hinds: Exkursionen ins Reich des Phantastischen" *Enzyklopädie des Phantastischen Films*. 98th issue. Meitingen: Corian. June 2012. p. 1–11. Template:ISBN [German]
* GRUNERT, Andrea. "Ciarán Hinds, acteur". *Jeune Cinéma*. issue 361/362. Autumn 2014. p. 62-69. [French]

## External links

* Template:IMDb name
* Website dedicated to his works on stage and screen
* Youthaction.org Northern Ireland Organization Supported by Hinds

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