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Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, CBE (born December 31, 1937) is an Academy Award-, Golden Globe-, double Emmy-, triple BAFTA- and Saturn Award-winning Welsh film, stage and television actor. He is arguably best known for his portrayal of cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter in the 1991 blockbuster The Silence of the Lambs, its sequel, Hannibal, and its prequel, Red Dragon. Other notable film credits include The Elephant Man, Bram Stoker's Dracula, The Remains of the Day, The Mask of Zorro, Hearts in Atlantis and Fracture. Hopkins was born and raised in Wales, and also became a U.S. citizen on 12 April 2000. He was made a Fellow of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 2008. Like his fellow Welshman Richard Burton, Anthony Hopkins left England and a celebrated stage career to enjoy the life of an A-list Hollywood actor. The restless thespian made an auspicious film debut in "The Lion in Winter" (1968), as the scheming Richard the Lionheart, and won Emmys for his TV-movie performances in "The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case" (NBC, 1976), as accused kidnapper Bruno Hauptmann, and "The Bunker" (CBS, 1981), as Adolph Hitler. But it was his Oscar-winning turn as Hannibal 'The Cannibal' Lecter in "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991) that brought the years of struggle and second-rate parts to an end, elevating him to full-fledged star status. Although Hopkins had won several awards for his 1975 Broadway debut in "Equus,” playing a troubled psychiatrist trying to unlock the deep-rooted problems that had led the passionate, disturbed stable boy in his care to blind several horses, it was, ironically, Burton who succeeded Hopkins in the Broadway production and starred in the film version. Hopkins was born in Margam, Port Talbot, Wales, the son of Muriel Anne (née Yeats) and Richard Arthur Hopkins, a baker.[1] His mother is a distant relative of the Irish poet William Butler Yeats. His schooldays were unproductive. A loner with dyslexia, he found that he would rather immerse himself in art, such as painting and drawing or playing the piano, than attend to his studies. In 1949, to instill some discipline, his parents insisted he attend Jones' West Monmouth Boys' School in Pontypool, Wales. He remained there for five terms and was then educated at Cowbridge Grammar School, Cowbridge, Wales. Hopkins was influenced and encouraged to become an actor by compatriot Richard Burton, whom he met briefly at the age of 15. To that end, he enrolled at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, Wales from which he graduated in 1957. After a two-year spell in the Army for National Service, he moved to London where he trained at RADA. Born on December 31, 1937 in the steel mining town of Port Talbot, South Wales, Hopkins grew up convinced he would amount to nothing. But at 17, he discovered acting at the YMCA and quickly found himself with a scholarship to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, a stint that was briefly interrupted by service with the Royal Artillery. After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and making his London debut as Metellus Cimber in “Julius Caesar,” he joined the National Theatre in 1965 when Laurence Olivier served as artistic director. When Olivier fell prey to appendicitis, Hopkins took over in "Dance of Death" (1966), then went on to play Lear, Antony and others at the famed Old Vic. While his stage career was on the rise, however, his personal life was in rapid decline. Hopkins was a an alcoholic, walked out on his first wife, Petronella Barker, in 1969 and later abandoned a production of Macbeth. Moving to Los Angeles, CA in 1974, Hopkins quit drinking two days before his 38th birthday and became a lifelong member of Alcoholics Anonymous. In 1965, after several years in repertory, he was spotted by Sir Laurence Olivier, who invited him to join the Royal National Theatre. Hopkins became Olivier's understudy, and filled in when Olivier was struck with appendicitis during a production of August Strindberg's The Dance of Death. Olivier later noted in his memoir, Confessions of an Actor, that, "A new young actor in the company of exceptional promise named Anthony Hopkins was understudying me and walked away with the part of Edgar like a cat with a mouse between its teeth". Despite his success at the National, Hopkins tired of repeating the same roles nightly and yearned to be in movies. In 1968, he got his break in The Lion in Winter playing Richard I, along with future James Bond star Timothy Dalton, who played Philip II of France. Although Hopkins continued in theatre (most notably in the Broadway production of Peter Shaffer's Equus, directed by John Dexter) he gradually moved away from it to become more established as a television and film actor. He made his small-screen debut in a 1967 BBC broadcast of A Flea in Her Ear. He has since gone on to enjoy a long career, winning many plaudits and awards for his performances. Hopkins was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1987, and a Knight Bachelor in 1993 In 1996, Hopkins was awarded an honorary fellowship from the University of Wales, Lampeter. Though he eschewed the stage later in his career, it was his theatrical training that enabled him to change shape and transform himself to a dazzling array of characters. As Lloyd George in "Young Winston" (1972), Hopkins initiated a five picture association with director Richard Attenborough which would see him segue from Lieutenant Colonel John Frost in "A Bridge Too Far" (1977) to the volatile, obsessed ventriloquist in "Magic" (1978) to the quiet, scholarly C S Lewis in "Shadowlands" (1993). He exhibited similar range in his work with the Merchant-Ivory team, beginning with his chillingly understated upper crust nasty in "Howards End" (1992) and proceeding through the mild-mannered all-too-perfect butler in "The Remains of the Day" (1993) to the ferocious energy and relentless sexuality of Pablo Picasso in "Surviving Picasso" (1996). Hopkins' indelible portrayal of Lechter, the brilliant, cultivated serial killer at the center of Jonathan Demme's "The Silence of the Lambs,” paved the way for a succession of meaty and challenging roles, including an enjoyable turn as Dr. Van Helsing in Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation of "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (1992) and a barnstorming performance as the stricken father in the Western epic, "Legends of the Fall" (1994). Immersing himself in countless hours of film and videotape for his title role in Oliver Stone's "Nixon" (1995), Hopkins fashioned a riveting performance that was as much an internal product of his own remembered inadequacies as a Welsh schoolboy as it was external mimicry of the 37th President of the USA. He directed and starred in "August" (1996), an adaptation of Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" (for which he also composed its melancholy, lyrical score), and then played bookish billionaire Charles Morse who devises many of the best survival strategies after a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness pits Alec Baldwin and him against nature in Lee Tamahori's "The Edge (1997). Hopkins followed quickly with another portrayal of an American president, this time as John Quincy Adams in Steven Spielberg's "Amistad" (1997). In 1998, Hopkins starred in a pair of remakes, playing William Parrish in "Meet Joe Black" (filmed twice before as "Death Takes a Holiday,” a 1934 feature and a 1971 ABC-TV movie) and the aged, original swashbuckler Don Diego, who trains a thief (Antonio Banderas) as his successor in "The Mask of Zorro." Later in the year, he was cast as Dr Ethan Powell in "Instinct,” a film loosely based on a novel by Daniel Quinn. As an anthropologist who lived for three years in the wilds with a family of gorillas, Powell discovered a secret which can not be revealed until a psychiatrist uncovers the truth behind a homicidal attack for which the doctor stands accused. In 1999, Hopkins took on the mighty title role in Julie Taymor's adaptation of "Titus." He briefly considered retiring after this role but found himself unable to give up his desire to perform. In both 2001 and 2002, he again played his most well-known role of Hannibal Lecter in "Hannibal" and "Red Dragon." Hopkins made the rather unfortunate choice, however, of starring with Chris Rock in the abominable "Bad Company." Directed by Joel Schumacher, the action comedy boasted two talented stars and a well-respected director, but came off as a by-the-numbers action flick that came and went with little notice in the theaters. Hopkins has stated that his role as Burt Munro, whom he portrayed in his 2005 film The World's Fastest Indian, was his favourite. He also asserted that Munro was the easiest role that he had ever played because both men have a similar outlook on life. In 2006, Hopkins was the recipient of the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement. In 2008, he received the Bafta Fellowship Award. Hopkins is renowned for his firm preparation for roles. He has confessed in interviews that once he has committed to a project, he will go over his lines as many times as is needed (sometimes upwards of 200) until the lines sound natural to him, so that he can "do it without thinking". This leads to an almost casual style of delivery that belies the amount of groundwork done beforehand. While it can allow for some careful improvisation, it has also brought him into conflict with the occasional director who departs from the script, or demands what the actor views as an excessive number of takes. Hopkins has also stated that after he is finished with a scene, he simply discards the lines, not remembering them later on. This is unlike other actors who usually remember their lines from a film even years later. Richard Attenborough, who has directed Hopkins on five occasions, found himself going to great lengths during the filming of Shadowlands (1993) to accommodate the differing approaches of his two stars (Hopkins and Debra Winger), who shared many scenes. Whereas Hopkins liked to keep rehearsals to a minimum, preferring the spontaneity of a fresh take, Winger rehearsed continuously. To allow for this, Attenborough stood in for Hopkins during Winger's rehearsals, only bringing him in for the last one before a take. The director praised Hopkins for "this extraordinary ability to make you believe when you hear him that it is the very first time he has ever said that line. It's an incredible gift." In addition, Hopkins is a gifted mimic, adept at turning his native Welsh accent into whatever is required by a character. He duplicated the voice of his late mentor, Sir Laurence Olivier, for additional scenes in Spartacus in its 1991 restoration. His interview on the 1998 relaunch edition of the British TV chat show Parkinson featured an impersonation of comedian Tommy Cooper. Hopkins' most famous role is the cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs (for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1992) opposite Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling, who also won for Best Actress. In addition, the film won Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. It is the shortest lead performance to win an Oscar, as Hopkins only appears for about seventeen minutes. Hopkins went on to reprise his role as Lecter twice (Hannibal in 2001 and Red Dragon in 2002). His original portrayal of the character in The Silence of the Lambs has been labelled by the American Film Institute as the number-one film villain. At the time he was offered the role, Hopkins was making a return to the London stage, performing in M. Butterfly. He had come back to Britain after living for a number of years in Hollywood, having all but given up on a career there, saying, "Well that part of my life's over; it's a chapter closed. I suppose I'll just have to settle for being a respectable actor poncing around the West End and doing respectable BBC work for the rest of my life." The character first appeared in the film Manhunter, which was loosely based on Red Dragon. Lecter (spelled "Lektor" in the film) was played by Scottish actor Brian Cox. Since Red Dragon was considered a remake of Manhunter, it allowed Hopkins to play the iconic villain in adaptations of all three of the best-selling Lecter novels by Thomas Harris. The author was reportedly very pleased with Hopkins' portrayal of his antagonist. However, Hopkins stated that Red Dragon would feature his final performance as the character, and that he would not reprise even a narrative role in the latest addition to the series, Hannibal Rising. Although Hopkins seemed to take a slightly lazy delight in revisiting the famous Lecter character (and fattening his bank account), he also accepted the challenging, racially charged role of Coleman Silk in director Robert Benton's film adaptation of author Philip Roth's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "The Human Stain" (2003). Hopkins went toe-to-toe with acting heavyweights Nicole Kidman, Gary Sinise and Ed Harris in playing Coleman Silk, a man of mixed race passing as white who embarks on an affair with an uneducated woman. Despite his well-established ability to stretch and excel in unlikely roles, Hopkins faced some criticism for seeming so physically disparate from the character depicted in the novel, although his performance was considered a bright spot in an otherwise hum-drum film. He reunited with Oliver Stone to play famed ancient geographer Ptolemy in the writer-director's epic historical drama "Alexander" (2004), then delivered an effective, heart-wrenching and occasionally ferocious performance as a brilliant but schizophrenic mathematician whose death leaves his troubled daughter and caretaker (Gwyneth Paltrow) wondering if she's inherited his genius or his madness in director John Madden's deft adaptation of the acclaimed stage play, "Proof" (2005). In “The World’s Fastest Indian” (2005), Hopkins gave a charming and light-hearted performance as the real-life Burt Munro, an Australian motorcycle enthusiast whose dream to break the under-1000cc land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah came true when he was 67-years-old. Meanwhile, Hopkins was honored by the Hollywood Foreign Press at the 2006 Golden Globe Awards with the Cecile B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement. Always riveting, Hopkins has had the uncanny ability to enthrall despite an otherwise poorly made film, as was the case with “All the King’s Men” (2006) where he played a powerful Louisiana judge—albeit with a British accent—who represents the corrupted political system that ensnares an idealistic man-of-the-people (Sean Penn) running for governor. Hopkins joined the large, all-star ensemble cast in “Bobby” (2006), Emilio Estevez’s long developed drama about the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, playing a retired doorman at the famous Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles who—along with several other hotel staff—witness the shocking murder. The acclaimed actor then gave a pleasingly sadistic performance in “Fracture” (2007), playing the confessed murderer of his much younger wife (Embeth Davidtz) who was having an affair with a police hostage negotiator (Billy Burke). Hopkins matched wits with the Deputy D.A. for Los Angeles (Ryan Gosling), gleefully watching the prosecutor’s case unravel as pieces of evidence from a seemingly open-and-shut case systematically fall to pieces. As of 2007, Hopkins resides in the United States. He had moved to the country once before during the 1970s to pursue his film career, but returned to Britain in the late 1980s. However, he decided to return to the U.S. following his 1990s success. He became a naturalized citizen on April 12, 2000, and celebrated with a 3,000-mile road trip across the country. Hopkins has been married three times. His first two wives were Petronella Barker (1967–1972) and Jennifer Lynton (1973–2003). He is now married to Colombia-born Stella Arroyave. He has a daughter from his first marriage, Abigail Hopkins (born 1967), an actress and singer. He has offered his support to various charities and appeals, notably becoming President of the National Trust's Snowdonia Appeal, raising funds for the preservation of the Snowdonia National Park and to aid the Trust's efforts to purchase parts of Snowdon. A book celebrating these efforts, Anthony Hopkins' Snowdonia, was published together with Graham Nobles. Hopkins, who can speak some Welsh, also takes time to support various philanthropic groups. He was a Guest of Honour at a Gala Fundraiser for Women in Recovery, Inc., a Venice, California-based non-profit organization offering rehabilitation assistance to women in recovery from substance abuse. He is also a volunteer teacher at the Ruskin School of Acting in Santa Monica, California, where he resides. Hopkins is an acknowledged alcoholic who has been sober since 1975. Hopkins is known to be a joker while on set, lightening the mood during production by barking like a dog before filming a scene, according to a Tonight Show interview broadcast on 9 April 2007. Hopkins is a prominent member of environmental protection group Greenpeace and as of early 2008 featured in a television advertisement campaign, voicing concerns about Japan's continuing annual whale slaughter. He is an admirer of the comedian Tommy Cooper. On 23 February 2008, as patron of The Tommy Cooper Society, the actor unveiled a commemorative statue in the entertainer's home town of Caerphilly. For the ceremony, Hopkins donned Cooper's trademark fez and performed a comic routine. Hopkins is a talented pianist. In 1986, he released a single called "Distant Star". It peaked at #75 in the UK charts. In 2007, he announced he would retire temporarily from the screen to tour around the world. In 1996, Hopkins directed his first film, August, an adaptation of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. His first screenplay, an experimental drama called Slipstream, which he also directed and scored, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007. Hopkins is a fan of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, and once remarked in an interview how he'd love to appear in the series. Writer John Sullivan saw the interview, and with Hopkins in mind created the character Danny Driscoll, a local villain. However, filming of the new series coincided with the filming of The Silence of the Lambs, making Hopkins unavailable. The role instead went to his friend Roy Marsden. Besides his win for The Silence of the Lambs, Hopkins has been Oscar-nominated for The Remains of the Day (1993), Nixon (1995) and Amistad (1997). Hopkins won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in 1973 for his performance as Pierre Bezukhov in the BBC's production of War and Peace, and additionally for The Silence of the Lambs and Shadowlands. He received nominations in the same category for Magic and The Remains of the Day and as Best Supporting Actor for The Lion in Winter. He won Emmy Awards for his roles in The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case and The Bunker, and was Emmy-nominated for The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Great Expectations. He won the directing and the acting award, both for Slipstream, at Switzerland's Locarno International Film Festival. |
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