Anthony Hopkins
Early Life
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins was born on December 31, 1937, in Margam, a suburb of Port Talbot, Wales. He is the son of Muriel Anne (née Yeats) and Richard Arthur Hopkins, a baker. His parents were both of half Welsh and half English descent. Raised as a Welsh speaker, he became fluent in English at school, later stating that he was "very quiet and very shy" as a child.
Education
Hopkins was educated at Jones' West Monmouth Boys' School in Pontypool and Cowbridge Grammar School. He later attended the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff, from which he graduated in 1957. After serving two years in the British Army doing his national service, he moved to London where he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Career
Hopkins' first professional stage appearance was at the Palace Theatre, Swansea, in 1960, and his first film role was in the 1964 film "The Lion in Winter". He then moved to the Laurence Olivier's Royal National Theatre where he became Olivier's understudy and filled in when Olivier was struck with appendicitis during a production of August Strindberg's The Dance of Death.
In 1968, Hopkins got his break in film in "The Lion in Winter", playing Richard I. His performance in the film, based on the play by James Goldman, earned him an invitation from Hollywood. He then starred in a string of successful films including "Legends of the Fall", "Thor", and "The Remains of the Day".
Hopkins is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in "The Silence of the Lambs", for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. He reprised his role in the sequels "Hannibal" and "Red Dragon". His other notable film roles include "Nixon", "The Elephant Man", and "Legends of the Fall".
Personal Life
Hopkins has been married three times. His first wife was Petronella Barker, from 1966 to 1972, and they had a daughter, Abigail Hopkins, who is an actress and singer. His second wife was Jennifer Lynton, a production assistant, from 1973 to 2002. He has been married to Stella Arroyave, a Colombian-born antiques dealer, since 2003.
Hopkins became a naturalized American citizen on April 12, 2000, holding dual citizenship in the United States and the United Kingdom. He resides in Malibu, California.
Awards and Recognition
Throughout his career, Hopkins has won numerous awards including the Academy Award for Best Actor, three BAFTAs, two Emmys, and the Cecil B. DeMille Award. In 1993, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the arts. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003, and was made a Fellow of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 2008.