Anthony Hopkins Talks: Acting, His Career, and Why He Became A US Citizen

Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lectar,Silence of the Lambs

Anthony Hopkins on Piers Morgan Tonight, CNN

Piers Mogan inyrtviewed Anthony Hopkins in February, 2011, CNN

Anthony Hopkins was born on December 31, 1937 in Margan, Port Talbot, Wales.  He  grew up in the same area as Richard Burton.  He is a Welsh  actor of stage, film and TV.  He  had a huge success with his character as Hannibal Lectar in, Silence of  Lambs. He won his first academy award in 1991 for best actor for his role.  In 1993 Anthony Hopkins was Knightedd by the Queen of England for his contribution to the Arts.  In 2003, Mr Hopkins won a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  Things were not always so easy for Mr Hopkins. His father was a baker and he he did not have a lot of money.  He told Piers Morgan, 'I was a dummy at school and was ostracised.  It was my childhood that made him hungry for success.  I would play piano, draw and later went into acting.  I found his passion and engaged in it as a career.  My father was wonderful.  He was a great guy who would get emotional over success.'  There was a time when Anthony Hopkins had a drinking problem, but he had kicked the habit. and has been clean for more than ten years.  At the age of 73 years, Mr Hopkins stated that the only think he is addicted to now is buying books and food.  He doesn't smoke and said when he drank he wanted to be a nice guy. He would do anything to please people. He said he will not be around people who will drag him down any more. 'Things are less important now. I just want to live my life.  Everything that has happened to me is way beyond my dreams.'

Hopkins stated that one of the most wonderful moments in his life is when he had won the Academy Award for best actor in Silence of the Lambs.  The night he won the award was the same date that his father had died ten years earlier. He did point out that when he saw Kathy Bates as the presenter that he then knew that he had won the award.  Piers Morgan had asked Hopkins who his favorite actors are?  Hopkins stated, Brando, Montgomery Cliff, Bette Davis, Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole..  As for some of the younger actors, Leonardo Di Caprio, Jodie Foster and Matt Damon top the list.Anthony Hopkins loves American Idol and watches it all of the time. He thinks the new judges are doing a good job.  Now that Mr Hopkins is a full time resident of the US, he lives in Malibu with his third wife. He said the the US is a place that he has always loved and when he was a kid he would real up on New York because he knew that some day he would want to go there. When asked how he wants to be remembered, Hopkins said, "What was that all about?'