Ciaran Hinds in "Excalibur"

Because of his recent work in popular movies like Harry Potter, Ciaran Hinds has gained notoriety in the United States. While his popularity has grown on this side of the Atlantic in recent years, his first film appearance was in the Irish movie, Excalibur.

Excalibur

John Boorman's 1981 film Excalibur is known for starting the movie careers of Ciaran Hinds, Liam Neeson, Gabriel Byrne and Patrick Stewart. Excalibur is an adaptation of the popular 15th century Arthurian legend. It was shot entirely in Ireland and consisted mostly of Irish cast and crew. Ciaran Hinds is a native Irishman from Belfast, so he fit the director's mission perfectly. While he did not have a major part in the movie and did not appear in another movie until 1989, Ciaran Hinds got his foot in the door of movie acting with his role in Excalibur. Before 1981, he had appeared exclusively on the stage. The movie received mixed reviews, but opened at number one in the US box office and garnered praise for its stunning visuals.

Even though Excalibur came out to mixed reviews, including negative reviews from noted film critic Roger Ebert, it launched the movie careers of several notable actors. Ciaran Hinds is one of the now very well-known movie actors who got his start in this 1981 John Boorman classic. If you want to watch a movie known for its stunning visuals and see a few of the stars before they gained fame and fortune, rent and watch Excalibur today.