Ciarán Hinds facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ciarán Hinds
Hinds in 2022
Born	(1953-02-09) 9 February 1953 (age 72) Belfast, Northern Ireland
Alma mater	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1975–present
Works	Full list
Spouse(s)	Hélène Patarot ​ (m. 1987)​
Children	Aoife Hinds

Ciarán Hinds (born 9 February 1953) is a famous Irish actor from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He is well-known for his many roles in movies, TV shows, and plays. You might recognize his deep voice as Grand Pabbie, the Troll King, in the animated movies Frozen (2013) and Frozen II (2019).

Ciarán Hinds has been in many popular films. These include Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011), where he played Aberforth Dumbledore. He was also in Justice League (2017) and Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) as the villain Steppenwolf. More recently, he earned nominations for an Oscar and a BAFTA for his role in the film Belfast (2021).

On television, he played Julius Caesar in the series Rome. He also appeared as Mance Rayder in Game of Thrones. He has worked with important theatre groups like the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 2020, he was named one of Ireland's greatest film actors.

Early Life and Education

Ciarán Hinds was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on 9 February 1953. He grew up in north Belfast as a Catholic. He was the only son among five children. His father, Gerry, was a doctor, and his mother, Moya, was a schoolteacher and loved acting.

When he was young, Ciarán was an Irish dancer. He went to Holy Family Primary School and St Malachy's College. After that, he studied law at Queen's University Belfast. However, he soon realized he wanted to act. He left Queen's to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He finished his acting training in 1975.

Acting Career Highlights

Ciarán Hinds started his acting journey on stage. His first professional role was in Cinderella in 1976 at the Glasgow Citizens' Theatre. He performed there often throughout the 1970s and 1980s. He also acted in many plays in Ireland.

In 1987, he was chosen by Peter Brook for a huge six-hour play called The Mahabharata. This play toured all over the world. He also appeared in the film version of it in 1989. In the early 1990s, he joined the famous Royal Shakespeare Company.

Stage Performances

Ciarán Hinds became very well-known for his stage work. He played the main role in Richard III in 1993. He also gained a lot of fans for his role as Larry in the play Closer. For this role, he won the Theatre World Award in New York in 1999. He continued to act on stage in plays like The Seafarer and Burnt by the Sun. In 2015, he played King Claudius in Hamlet alongside Benedict Cumberbatch.

Film Roles

Ciarán Hinds made his first movie appearance in Excalibur in 1981. He has since been in many different types of films. He played Captain Frederick Wentworth in Persuasion (1995). He was also in Road to Perdition (2002) and Munich (2005).

In 2006, he acted in Amazing Grace. In this film, he played Sir Banastre Tarleton, who was against ending the slave trade. He also appeared in the critically acclaimed film There Will Be Blood (2007).

One of his most recognized roles for younger audiences is Aberforth Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011). He also played Roy Bland in the spy film Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011).

Television Appearances

Ciarán Hinds has had many important roles on TV. He played Julius Caesar in the BBC/HBO series Rome in 2006. For his role in The Mayor of Casterbridge (2004), he won an Irish Film and Television Award.

He also appeared in the crime drama Prime Suspect 3 (1993). Later, he starred as DCI James Langton in the TV series Above Suspicion from 2009 to 2012.

For fans of fantasy, he played the wildling leader Mance Rayder in Game of Thrones from Season 3 to Season 5. He also played Captain Sir John Franklin in the series The Terror.

Voice Acting and Recent Work

Ciarán Hinds is known for his deep voice. He used it to play Grand Pabbie, the wise Troll King, in Disney's Frozen (2013) and Frozen II (2019). He also voiced the villain Steppenwolf in the superhero film Justice League (2017) and its director's cut in 2021.

In 2021, he starred in Kenneth Branagh's film Belfast. His performance received great praise, and he won the National Board of Review award for Best Supporting Actor. He was also nominated for an Oscar and a BAFTA for this role. In 2021, he joined the comedy-drama series The Dry. He also appeared in the thriller film In the Land of Saints and Sinners with Liam Neeson.

Personal Life

Ciarán Hinds lives in Paris, France, with his wife, Hélène Patarot. Hélène is a French-Vietnamese actress. They met in 1987 while working together on the play The Mahabharata. Their daughter, Aoife Hinds, was born in London in 1991. Aoife is also an actress and has appeared in shows like Derry Girls and Normal People.

Awards and Nominations

Ciarán Hinds has won many awards throughout his career.

Images for kids

• 

  Ciarán Hinds at the WB Yeats Poetry Hour at the 2022 Chiswick Book Festival with Sinéad Cusack (left), Ruth Negga, and Jeremy Irons (right)

See also

In Spanish: Ciarán Hinds para niños