The makers of a $90 million Hollywood movie about King Arthur and Merlin are scouting Ireland for fifth century lookalikes - and men with long hair and beards are top of the list.
Over 1,000 extras will be used in the biggest-budget film shot in this country.
The movie will be filmed on location in Kildare, Wicklow and Dublin and one of the main battle scenes will be shot in Ballymore Eustace in Kildare over a six-week period.
Extras will appear in the film as forest people, Picts, Saxons and villagers in a massive set being constructed in Kildare.
The film-makers are planning on making a realistic and gritty tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table set between the fall of the Roman Empire and the Dark Ages.
A massive set of Hadrian's Wall and fort is currently being constructed for the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced movie.
Open casting sessions will be held in Bray, Dublin, Naas and Ballymore Eustace from Friday April 25th to Wednesday April 30th.
Assistant director Gail Munnelly said she is expecting hundreds of people to turn up at the auditions.
"We are especially looking for men with long hair and beards because it is set in the fifth century."
She said they will need 650 people for one battle sequence alone which will be shot over a period of three weeks.
On other days about 100 or 250 people will be needed. Filming will start in June and last until October.
Bourne Identity actor Clive Owen is being tipped to play King Arthur while The Hours actor Stephen Dillane is expected to take on the role of Merlin. Training Day director Antoine Fuqua will direct the movie which is set to be a more realistic portrayal of Arthur than has previously been presented on screen.
The film will focus on the history and politics of the period during which Arthur ruled - when the Roman empire collapsed and skirmishes over power broke out in outlying countries - as opposed to the mythical elements of the tale on which past Arthur films have focused.
Filming will start in Ireland on June 24th on the project which originated in 2000 when Gladiator scriptwriter David Franzoni approached Bruckheimer Films with an outline.