Hebrides singer to star in Hollywood movie

A South Uist singer is on target to star in award-winning film director Ridley Scott’s forthcoming Robin Hood epic, which stars Cate Blanchett and Russell Crowe.

Kathleen MacInnes’s vocals, inspired by ancient Gaelic chants, will feature heavily in the film due to open next month at the Cannes Film Festival.

The island singer’s performance is expected to be heard during a dream sequence featuring Maid Marion (Blanchett).

“Gaelic broadcasting circles”

Robin Hood could give MacInnes a similar boost to the one enjoyed by singer-songwriter Dougie MacLean when his melody ‘The Gaels’ featured in the epic film Last Of The Mohicans.

MacInnes landed the role after Scott – who joined forces with Oscar-winner Crowe for the fifth time to make the film – saw the award-winning Gaelic feature film Seachd (The Inaccessible Pinnacle), which featured her singing.

The singer revealed that she had only just been told her performance would definitely be featuring on the soundtrack, and described how she had been unable to talk about it until now.

Although widely recognised as one of Scotland’s leading Gaelic singers, MacInnes is little known outside traditional music and Gaelic broadcasting circles, however with this latest version of Robin Hood  about to hit cinema screens that could soon change.

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