In the Hellraiser film franchise, the lead cenobite introduced in the 1987 original is commonly known as Pinhead. The character is played by Doug Bradley and emerges after the puzzle box called the Lament Configuration is solved.
Pinhead is initially identified in the film’s credits as the Lead Cenobite. The nickname Pinhead became widely used by audiences and later promotional material because of the nails embedded in the character’s head. In later franchise mythology, the character receives the name Hell Priest.
Clive Barker wrote and directed the first Hellraiser, adapting his novella The Hellbound Heart. The story presents cenobites as extradimensional beings associated with extreme sensation, while the human plot centers on Frank Cotton, Julia Cotton, and Kirsty Cotton.
A common mix-up is treating every cenobite as Pinhead. The first film includes several distinct cenobites, including the Chatterer and Butterball. Pinhead is the most prominent and recognizable member, but he is not the only creature summoned by the Lament Configuration.