Top 10 Sir Anthony Hopkins Movies

Philip Anthony Hopkins better known as just Anthony Hopkins was born on December 31 in Margam, Wales, to Muriel Anne (Yeats) and Richard Arthur Hopkins, a baker. Influenced by Richard Burton, Hopkins decided to study at the study at College of Music and Drama and graduated in 1957. In 1965, he moved to London because he was invited by Lawrence Olivier to join the National Theatre. In 1967, Hopkins made his television debut in the comedy TV movie A Flea in her Ear. From that point on, his film and television career progressed starring the 1968 historical drama A Lion in Winter with Timothy Dalton. He continued to flourish as his acting talent was being recognized with two major feature films, the 1977 historical war drama A Bridge Too Far and the 1980 bio-drama The Elephant Man. In 1987, he was awarded with the Commander of the order of the British Empire and in 1993, he was knighted. He’s been nominated for an Academy Award four times, winning the statuette for Best Actor in a Leading Role as the cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lector in the 1991 thriller Silence of the Lambs. in honor of his 76th birthday, here is a Top 10 list of Anthony Hopkins movies.

10. Nixon: This 1995 biopic directed by Oliver Stone, earned Hopkins his second Academy Award nomination for Best Lead Actor. Co-starring Joan Allen, Powers Boothe, Bob Hoskins, David Paymer, Paul Sorvino, David Hyde Pierce, James Woods and Mary Steenburgen, Hopkins’ portrayal of our 37th President was stirring as the powerful yet flawed man Nixon was.

9. Hitchcock: Based on Stephen Rebello’s non-fiction book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho, this 2012 biopic had Hopkins playing the iconic director. Hopkins starred opposite Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson, Toni Colette, Jessica Biel, Michael Wincott and Michael Stuhlbarg. Hopkins played off of Mirren, who played Hitchcock’s wife, Alma Reville, with total perfection as they conveyed their tumultuous relationship during the filming of Psycho.

8. The Remains of the Day: This 1993 romantic drama earned Hopkins his first Academy Award nomination for Best Lead Actor. It was adapted from the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro. Set in 1950s Britain, Hopkins co-starring once again with Emma Thompson, along with Hugh Grant and the late Christopher Reeve. He played James Stevens, the butler of Darlington Hall, who realized too late that his loyalty was misplaced in the years following World War II. In addition, Hopkins’ on-screen chemistry with Thompson was sweet and refined.

7. Howards End: This 1992 romantic drama was based upon the novel of the same name by E. M. Forster. It had Hopkins starring with Emma Thompson for the first time along with Helena Bonham Carter and Vanessa Redgrave. Set in Edwardian England, the film revolved around three families who represent three different social classes. Hopkins portrayed Henry J. Wilcox, the patriarch of one of the families with grace, poise and true elegance.

6. Legends of the Fall: This 1994 romantic war drama based on the 1979 novella of the same title by Jim Harrison had Hopkins co-starring with Brad Pitt, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond and Henry Thomas. The film’s opening is set in the early 1900s as Hopkins played Colonel William Ludlow, who raises three sons (Pitt, Quinn and Thomas) while living in the remote wilderness and the movie shows how all of their lives are affected by nature, history, war, and love. The film spans the decade before World War I through the Prohibition era, into the 1930s, ending with a brief scene set in 1963. Hopkins conveyed the raw emotions of a man tired of the often mindless rigors of traditional society living and choosing to raise his sons amongst the Native Americans was riveting. Hopkins then succeeded in communicating the feelings of a man who has lost his will to believe in “the system.”

5. Hannibal: Directed by Ridley Scott and adapted from Thomas Harris' novel of the same name, this 2001 thriller was the sequel to the wildly popular 1991 thriller The Silence of the Lambs. Hopkins co-starred with Julianne Moore, who played FBI Special Agent Clarice Starling, who was played by Jodie Foster, in the first film, along with Gary Oldman, Ray Liotta, Frankie Faison and Giancarlo Gianni. Hopkins reprised his role as the sadistic cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lector, who finds himself the prey of his only surviving victim. Hopkins’ creepy dialogues with Moore further showcased his superb way of playing a crafty villain always one-step ahead of the law.

4. Meet Joe Black: This 1998 fantasy drama had Hopkins again starring with Brad Pitt along with Claire Forlani, Marcia Gay Harden and Jeffrey Tambor. Hopkins played billionaire media mogul William Parish. “Death” inhabits Pitt’s body and comes to him to tell him his time is up but “Death” wants to spend some vacation time on Earth first. Hopkins played a man faced with his impending demise with class and elegance but showed his vulnerability and anger when “Death” tells him that’s he fallen in love with Parrish’s daughter, Susan (Forlani) and wants to take her with them when he takes Parrish. Hopkins portrayed Parrish’s rage, helplessness and refinement to a tea and though this movie wasn’t well received in the US, it did better overseas and IMO, Hopkins should be proud of his role in the film.

3. Red 2: This 2013 action comedy had Hopkins out of his usual element, doing comedy. Co-starring with Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Mary- Louise Parker, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Brian Cox, Byung-hun Lee, David Thewlis, Neal McDonough and Helen Mirren. Hopkins played Dr. Edward Bailey, a brilliant physicist, who developed a now-missing nuclear weapon. Hopkins’ loopy portrayal of a seemingly crazy genius was marvelous. He played off of Willis, Malkovich and the rest of the cast with ease and delivered jokes with such a straight face that he showed his acting talent isn’t limited to dramas and thrillers.

2. The Mask of Zorro: This 1998 action adventure comedy was based on the Zorro character created by Johnston McCulley. Hopkins played Diego de la Vega aka the original Zorro, who witnessed his wife’s death and his baby daughter’s abduction by his mortal enemy. Co-starring with Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Hopkins mentored Banderas’ Alejandro Murietta, into a new Zorro, who like him, wished to also seek revenge but against the man who murdered his beloved brother. Hopkins’ and Banderas’ rapport on-screen brought a father-son vibe and Hopkins’ charm as the voice of California’s people endeared him and the character even more to moviegoers.

1. The Silence of the Lambs: With this 1991 horror/thriller based on Thomas Harris' 1988 novel of the same name and directed by Jonathan Demme, Hopkins succeeded in creating one of the most complex and terrifying villains to ever grace the silver screen. Hopkins played Dr. Hannibal Lecter, who is visited by a young FBI trainee named Clarice Starling, played by Jodie Foster, to ask his advice on how to apprehend another known serial killer. Hopkins’ spine-chilling execution of the dialogue and disturbing rapport with Foster made moviegoers’ hair stand up on the back of their necks and yet they loved every minute of it!

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