Anthony Hopkins

Sir Anthony Hopkins, CBE (born December 31, 1937) is a British-born American actor who was born Philip Anthony Hopkins in Port Talbot, Wales. Strongly influenced and encouraged to become an actor by fellow Welshman Richard Burton. He also conquered an alcohol addiction in 1975 and has not touched a drop since, drinking sparkling cider (which in the US is not considered an alcoholic beverage) at his March wedding. Now resides in the United States where he has become a naturalized citizen. However, as a dual national, he retains his knighthood and can use the title 'Sir' in the UK, but not in the US, since it is considered 'inappropriate' according to the British consulate.

His most famous role was as the character Hannibal Lecter in the film The Silence of the Lambs for which he also won the best actor Academy Award. He reprised the role twice in Hannibal and Red Dragon.

He has played many great characters including: Zorro (The Mask of Zorro 1998), Quasimodo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1982), Othello (Othello 1981), Pablo Picasso (Surviving Picasso 1996), Richard Nixon (Nixon 1995), Titus Andronicus (Titus 1999), John Quincy Adams (Amistad 1997), Adolf Hitler (The Bunker 1981), Charles Dickens (The Great Inimitable Mr. Dickens 1970), and Abraham Van Helsing (Bram Stoker's Dracula 1992).\n