From Hannibal to philanthropist: the many roles of Anthony Hopkins

It’s just one look into those ice blue eyes, cutting you like a dagger. One stealthy turn of his now bald head, a smile like the snap of a whip and you instantly know you’re looking at none other than Anthony Hopkins.

He is among a generation of actors as steadfast and serious as their steely gazes. Men like Sean Connery and Jack Nicholson, actors who can deliver stellar performances with unmatched grace and professionalism. A man who is preceded only by the characters he has portrayed, decades of roles that have created an unbreakable career. Instantly recognizable in his Oscar-winning role as one of the most maniacal and mentally wicked villains Hollywood has ever known, Hannibal Lecter, a role he reviewed twice more in the 2001 film “Hannibal” and in 2002 “Red Dragon.” In 1984, Hopkins showed his remarkable flexibility to take on any role when he described a completely different type of criminal. None other than Adolf Hitler in the movie “The Bunker,” a gripping look at Hitler’s last days on earth as the end of WWII loomed on the horizon (for which Hopkins received an Emmy Award).

Taking controversial roles as a fish in water, Hopkins is easily identifiable as the man who played Richard Bruno Hauptmann in “The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case” and William Bligh in “The Bounty.” It is the face that many viewers associate with the film versions of John Quincy Adams, Othello, and even US President Richard M. Nixon.

Off-screen, Hopkins has walked down the aisle three times and is tied to a host of other women, like many of Hollywood’s leading gentlemen. With an almost implausible number of roles under his belt (over a hundred and growing), he is dedicating himself to directing and composing films, as well as an upcoming role as executive producer of the 2005 film “Bobby,” which will analyze the 1968 assassination of Senator Robert Kennedy. Like many in the center of fame, he is involved with various philanthropic causes, although unlike many who simply write checks, the causes Hopkins helps are often directly related to his own life. Evident in the work he does for numerous charities, both on his childhood grounds, the United Kingdom, and his present homeland in the United States (he became a naturalized American citizen in 2000). In Wales, where Anthony was born, he has donated more than £ 1 million to Snowdonia National Park. Additionally, Hopkins regularly contributes his time and honed skills to teach young actors the trade at the Ruskins School of Acting in Santa Monica, California.

Anthony Hopkins has had an unforgettable career made up of tough characters, British personalities, wise men and troubled souls. Yet beneath the gritty, and sometimes isolated manner, undeniable wit, and personifying charm that only a Welshman can deliver, Hopkins is a man who, like many of the roles he has played, has led a life of personal struggle. , a journey to overcome his demons, and perhaps a desire to be known for more than just his amazing acting skills.