Ciarán Hinds will be honoured by the Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) with the Irish Academy Award for his Lifetime Achievement.
Hinds, a native of Belfast, is being recognized by IFTA for his outstanding Irish and international acting achievementsand contribution to the screen industry across 50 years.
Hinds will be presented with the Award in the presence of industry colleagues, family, and friends at the upcoming 23rd Anniversary IFTA Awards Ceremony, which will take place on Friday, February 20, at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. The Ceremony will be hosted by comedian and actor Kevin McGahern.
“I am deeply grateful to IFTA for this recognition - their support for the cinematic and televisual arts over the past 20 years and more has been immense, and I am truly honoured to receive it," Hinds said. "Thank you.”
Acknowledging Ciaran’s contributions to the Irish screen industry, IFTA CEO Áine Moriarty said: “Ciarán Hinds is a modest giant and gentleman of an actor, who has deservedly become one of the most highly-respected and versatile actors of his generation, working with world-renowned filmmakers and storytellers.
"He is a performer of extraordinary depth, warmth, and dignity, who commands the screen with his presence.
"Throughout his career, he has been a constant supporter of homegrown Irish productions, which is dear to his heart.
"The Irish Academy is honoured to pay tribute to Ciarán and to recognise his outstanding achievements.”
The 2026 IFTA Nominations will be announced next Tuesday, January 20, and the IFTA Awards Ceremony will take place on February 20.
About Ciarán Hinds
Ciarán Hinds acting career has amassed an extraordinary and varied body of work across five decades and continues to be prolific: this year, in 2026, global audiences will see him in Bradley Cooper’s "Is This Thing On?" (with Will Arnett and Laura Dern), "Midwinter Break" (with Lesley Manville), and Netflix’s new adaptation of "East of Eden" (with Florence Pugh).
Born in Belfast, Ciarán Hinds studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and began his professional acting career at the Glasgow Citizens’ Theatre in 1976. He appeared on stage with the Abbey Theatre, the Druid, and the Royal Shakespeare Company, and made his film debut in John Boorman’s "Excalibur," and played the title role in Sam Mendes’ RSC production of "Richard III" in 1993.
He received an Oscar nomination in 2022 for his touching performance as Pop in Kenneth Branagh’s "Belfast," which also secured him Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations while going on to win the IFTA Award that year.
Since 2003, he has received four additional IFTA Awards for his roles in "The Mayor of Casterbridge," "Rome," "KIN," and "The Dry."
Hinds has worked with countless iconic directors on projects including "There Will Be Blood" (Paul Thomas Anderson), "Munich" (Steven Spielberg), "Silence" (Martin Scorsese), "The Weight of Water" (Kathryn Bigelow), "Miami Vice" (Michael Mann), "In Bruges" (Martin McDonagh), "Road to Perdition" (Sam Mendes), "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover" (Peter Greenaway), and many more.
Other international roles include Julius Caesar on HBO’s "Rome" as well as key roles in blockbuster series "Game of Thrones," "The Terror," "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," "The Man in the Hat," "Political Animals," "Life During Wartime," "First Man," "Red Sparrow," "The Phantom of the Opera," "Lara Croft: The Circle of Life," "Bleed for This," "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby," "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power," "John Carter," "Above Suspicion," "The Woman in Black," "The Debt," "The Rite," "Oscar and Lucinda," "Margot at the Wedding," "Race to Witch Mountain," "Miss Petticrew Lives for a Day," "Justice League;" and lending his voice to the smash hit "Frozen" animated franchise.
Closer to home, Hinds has appeared in Irish projects including "The Eclipse," "Veronica Guerin," "The Sea," "Some Mother’s Son," "Circle of Friends," "The Wonder," "Mickybo and Me," and "The Tiger's Tail."
In recent years, he has returned to Ireland to star in two award-winning TV series: as the ruthless gangland patriarch in "KIN" and as the loving but chaotic father in "The Dry," with both of these roles winning him IFTA Awards.
Among his many acclaimed stage roles, including a long-time creative partnership with Conor McPherson, are productions of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof "(with Scarlett Johansson), "Hamlet" (with Benedict Cumberbatch), "The Crucible" (with Saoirse Ronan), "Uncle Vanya," "Juno and the Paycock," "Translations, "Girl from the North Country," and "The Night Alive."
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