I never give advice, says the man who is Hannibal Lecter. At 73, Anthony Hopkins says, "You dont need a genius IQ to be an actor. You just need to know the text and show up.
We talked over a cup of tea in his suite at the Century City Hotel. Immaculately groomed, wearing a black and white check suit and with that familiar, soft, almost overly controlled voice, Hopkins talked about his career, his wife, and his new scary movie which just topped the box office on its opening weekend.
Q: You star in the Rite where you play a priest who does exorcisms. Creepy?
A: Hes a priest and suddenly he goes nuts, and hes playing Hannibal Lecter. Its so dark and weird. I loved it.
Q: Any fear of playing another spooky character?
A: For a moment I thought, I cant play another spooky man. Then my wife read the script and loved it. I said, OK, Ill read it. It was very interesting because there were no spinning heads or pea soup in it. I was a fan of The Exorcist. I also thought Rosemarys Baby was a tremendous movie. So, I thought that maybe we could explore similar topics.
Q: What was it like to film your scenes where youre possessed?
A: Im contorting and throwing people against the wall. I didnt want to damage myself, he says. It was intense work. Of course, its only acting. It wasnt life threatening. But the brain still doesnt know whats going on. It believes youre in fight or flight mode. In the end, I enjoyed it all. It was really no strain.
Q: How do you prepare for these type of scenes?A: I just learned the lines over and over. Thats really all I ever do. I was in Budapest and Id spent two or three hours a day going over and over the text. Its like varnishing and putting on more paint. Thats when the ideas come to me and the vocal sounds of the man and the demon. Q: What are your religious beliefs?A: All I know is I dont know anything. But Id hate to live in certainty. We live in a climate today where everyone is certain about everything. Politicians say the debate is over. How do you know? How do they know? In the movie, a younger priest says, Do you really believe people should believe in this fairy tale? I say to him, What do you believe in? In this cocky voice, he says, The truth. I say, Ah, yes, the truth....But people hide behind the truth. I believe that anyone who is extreme and claims to know the truth is someone or something to be wary of.Q: Switching gears...what do you remember most from filming your first movie The Lion in Winter in 1968 with Katharine Hepburn and Peter OToole. Q: They were legends and I was a brash young actor who was 29-years-old. My first day on the set, I had a big scene with Katharine. She said to me, Why are you playing the whole scene with the back of your head to the camera. Ill steal the scene from you if you do that. Then she paused and said, Even if you face the camera, Ill probably steal it from you anyways....Kate told me, Tony, dont act. Watch Spencer Tracy. Watch Bogart. Those guys dont act. They just come on. They dont showboat. They just are.
Q: You won an Oscar in 1991 for The Silence of the Lambs playing Hannibal Lecter. How do you play such an evil man so well?A: The answer is, I dont know. I have a knack. I dont know where it comes from. Q: Why work so hard at your age?A: Youre as good as your last job. Im not trying to be modest when I say, Im so lucky that Im still working. I think Im still hired because I keep myself fit and I know my stuff. I also go in without high expectations. A success is always a surprise. Q: You married your wife Stella in 2003. What do you like to do together?A: We watch a lot of old movies. Those actors are so compelling to watch. Theres a lot of entertainment in them. Q: Whats the best acting advice youve ever been given?A: I always admired James Cagney. He said, I just get up on the table and throw myself off. Its good advice. Q: Will you ever retire?A: Im so pleased that people still ask me to act. I dont want to ever retire. Im not going to play Brad Pitts parts now. Im realistic about it. Time is running and Im getting olderIm just glad that Im not young anymore. Youth is not important. Ill watch these red carpets and say, Look at how theyre all up there and saying how excited they are. My wife will say, Dont get cynical. Then Ill say, Im just glad I dont have to say those words. Im so glad Im here in this place in my life. Younger people take it all too seriously now. About the author: Cindy Pearlman writes frequently about celebrities and beauty.What is your favorite scary movie? Comment below.
