Biography of Anthony Hopkins

Philip Anthony Hopkins (born December 31, 1937) is a Welsh-American actor, writer and producer. He is known for his performances in “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991), “Hannibal” (2001), and “The Rite” (2011). After studying in Wales and London, he started his career in theater before debuting on television with “A Matter of Degree” (1960) and in film with “The White Bus” (1967). Over time, he achieved fame thanks to his performances in “The Silence of the Lambs” and “Hannibal”. He has also appeared in other films such as “The Remains of the Day”, “Nixon”, “Surviving Picasso”, “Instinct”, “Hitchcock”, and “Thor”.

Early years.

His parents are Richard and Muriel Hopkins. During his adolescence, he discovered his passion for acting and later trained at the College of Music and Drama in Cardiff and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. After completing his studies, he began his theater career by performing several roles at the National Theatre at the prestigious Old Vic. There, he stood out for his versions of Shakespeare’s classics.

Acting career

Known in the theater world, Philip Anthony Hopkins made the leap to television in the 60s, debuting in the series “A Matter of Degree” (1960).

He then appeared in “The Man in Room 17” (1965) and in the telefilm “A Flea in Her Ear” (1967). That same year, he made his film debut with “The White Bus” (1967) and a year later he premiered “The Lion in Winter” (1968), a film in which he shared credits with Katharine Hepburn and Peter O’Toole. After establishing himself in the United States, he began a long and successful career in television and film, and also succeeded in theater, especially on the New York scene during the 70s.

At that time, he starred in:

• “War & Peace” (1972-73).
• “The Girl from Petrovka” (1974).
• “The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case” (1976)
• “Audrey Rose” (1977).
• He starred in “A Change of Seasons” (1980) with Shirley MacLaine; “Peter and Paul” (1981) with Robert Foxworth; and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1982) with Lesley-Anne Down.
• He also appeared in the series “A Married Man,” “Hollywood Wives,” and “Mussolini & I.”

1991 – 1996

In 1991, he would achieve international recognition with “The Silence of the Lambs,” a thriller in which he played the role of Doctor Hannibal Lecter. For this, he would be nominated for an Oscar, as well as for his performance in “The Remains of the Day” (1993), a dramatic film in which he shared credits with Emma Thompson. Later, he shared credits with Brad Pitt in “Legends of the Fall” (1994) and portrayed former President Nixon in “Nixon” (1995). He then portrayed Picasso

in “Surviving Picasso” (1996), sharing credits with Julianne Moore.

1996 – 2006

In the same year, he made his directorial debut with August (1996). Two years later, he released The Mask of Zorro (1998), with Antonio Banderas, and in 1999, he starred in Instinct. Starting the new millennium, he would surprise the audience by once again playing Doctor Hannibal Lecter in Hannibal (2001). Later, he could be seen in Alexander (2004), with Colin Farrell and Angelina Jolie, and in All the King’s Men (2006), with Sean Penn, Jude Law, and Kate Winslet.

• In 2005, he starred in “Burt Munro,” “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger” in 2010, “The Rite” in 2011 and “Hitchcock” in 2012, where he portrayed the famous filmmaker, Alfred Hitchcock.
• In 2015, he played the role of Freddy Heineken, the beer entrepreneur, in “Kidnapping Mr. Heineken” and then a pharmaceutical millionaire in “Misconduct” in 2016 alongside Al Pacino.
• He then worked with Mark Wahlberg in “Transformers: The Last Knight” in 2017 and portrayed King Lear in the TV film of the same name. During that same period, he played Dr. Robert Ford in “Westworld.”
• He starred in the Netflix film “The Two Popes” in 2019, alongside Jonathan Pryce (Pope Francis), where he portrayed Pope Benedict XVI. His upcoming projects include “The Father,” “The Virtuoso,” and “Elyse.”

Private life

Hopkins has been married several times. His first wife was Petronella Baker, whom he separated from in 1972 and had a daughter named Abigail. He then married Jennifer Lynton, separating in 2002. Only a year later he married Colombian producer Stella Arroyave.

Awards

• Two Academy Awards.
• Three British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards.
• A British Academy Television Award.
• Two Primetime Emmy Awards.
• A Laurence Olivier Award.
• An honorary Golden Globe and a BAFTA for his career.
• In 1993, Queen Elizabeth II knighted him for his services to the arts.
• In 2003, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his achievements in the film industry.

At 84 years old, he became the oldest actor to win a Best Actor Oscar for his performance in The Father. This was in 2022.

Hopkins is a true icon of film, having acted in over ninety films and television shows.