Ciaran Hinds- Actor of the Week

Ciaran Hinds

Ciaran Hinds (pronounced KEER-ahn Hyndz, I looked it up!) has been in many wonderful Period Dramas and is well loved for his various roles. Ciaran grew up in Northern Ireland and before being an actor he was an Irish dancer- I kid you not! Boy would I love to see him Irish Dance. Michael Flatley eat your heart out!  But where do I start with his acting career? Oh, I guess I will have to start with my personal favourite and possibly yours, Captain Wentworth.

Ciaran Hinds as Captain Wentworth in Persuasion

"You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight and a half years ago. Dare not say that a man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant."

Swooooooooon! That little quotation from Persuasion gets me every time. Much as I liked Rupert Penry-Jones' portrayal of Captain Wentworth, I think I speak for a few of us when I say that his voice is in my head as I read the paragraph above.

Ciaran Hinds as Professor Flynn from Circle of Friends

Ciaran Hinds was hilarious as Professor Flynn in Circle of Friends.  If you haven't seen this one in a while, it is worth watching for his performance alone... "The sexual life of savages!"

Ciaran Hinds and Samantha Morton in Jane Eyre 1997

There are so many versions of Jane Eyre that one has to specify either the year or the actor playing Mr. Rochester or Jane Eyre so that we know which one is being discussed. This one has many familiar faces in it such as Samantha Morton, Rupert Penry-Jones and Gemma Jones. I have to admit however, that my heart belongs to the 2006 version with Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens.

In Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day 2008, a wonderful screwball comedy, Ciaran Hinds gets to demonstrate his dancing ability as Joe, the handsome older gentleman who literally sweeps Frances McDormand's character Miss Pettigrew off of her feet. Phwoar, ladies!

OK, I know this isn't a Period Drama but it is one of my fave chick flicks. Calendar Girls from 2003 is a classic BritCom with a heart. If you haven't seen it you really have a treat in store for one of those nights when you need a good laugh and a good cry.


Did I miss any of your favourite Ciaran Hinds films, period drama or not? Tell me which ones you particularly enjoyed. You guys have great suggestions for a film-a-holic like me!


This post is dedicated to Rena and Mary Simonsen who used words like "hopelessly attached" and "quintessential MAN" when speaking of Ciaran Hinds in the comments on my older post on Persuasion 1995 and 2007. Thanks to everyone for all of the great comments on various posts. That is what makes this blog so much fun to do.