The Day Anthony Hopkins Quit Drinking | The Interview

How did you play Hannibal Lecter? Well, I played the opposite of what they. promised. Oh, he's a monster. Good morning. You know, it's real FBI. How are you? [Music]. In so many of Sir Anthony Hopkins'. greatest performances, he's able to. suggest captivating hidden depths to his. characters. A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and. a nice chianti.

There's always a sense these characters. are thinking and feeling things that for. whatever reason they're keeping to. themselves. Let me see it. [Music]. But in his new autobiography, Hopkins himself is laying his life bare, revealing details about his tough. childhood in Wales, and his painful. estrangement from his only child. Hopkins is 87 now, and he makes it clear.

in the book that he's grappling with. life's bigger questions, the why of it. all, and what it means, and how. mystified he feels by the sheer luck and. improbability of his unlikely life. Here's my conversation with Anthony. Hopkins. [Music]. Hello, David. Tony Hopkins. Uh I was. wondering, do I go Sir Anthony? Is that. >> No, no, no. Tony. Nice to meet you. Good to meet you. You know, I thought it might be. interesting to start with a.

a key epiphany that you write about in. the book. You know, we we all have our. turning points in our lives. Would you. have such a specific one and and know. exactly when it happened, um a moment. that sort of changed everything for you? Can you tell me about what happened on. December 29th, 1975 at 11:00? Well, it's almost 50 years ago. I'm always slightly reluctant to talk. about it because I don't want it to.

sound preachy or like a goody two-shoes. But I was drunk driving my car. here in California. in a blackout. No clue where I was going. And it was a moment when I realized that. I could have killed somebody or myself. which I didn't care about. But I could. have killed a family in the car, you. know. And I realized. that I was an alcoholic.

And I came to my senses and I said to. I it was. an ex-agent of mine at this party in. Beverly Hills. I said, "I need help.". So, I made the fatal phone call to an. intergroup. in LA. 12-step program. So, they will send somebody over to meet. you. I said, "No, I'll come to you.". So, I went to this intergroup office. So, 11:00 precisely. Looked at my watch. And this is the spooky part. Some deep,

powerful thought or voice. spoke to me from inside and said, "It's. all over. Now you can start living. And it has all. been for a purpose. So, don't forget one. moment of it." And it was just a voice. from the blue? From inside, deep inside me. But it was. vocal, male, reasonable, like a radio. voice. And it was a monotone, but it's it's all. over. The craving to drink was taken from me.

or left. I don't know have any theories. except I, you know, could it be divinity or that. power that we all possess inside us that. creates us. from birth, life force, whatever it is. It's a consciousness, I believe. That's. all I know. But my whole life. has been like that. Should I give you another epiphany? Mhm. I go back to 1955, Easter. And I was.

my school report had arrived. The. dreaded school report. I'm 17. And I was dreading this day because my. parents would read these terrible. reports on my progress in school because. I was a dummy. I was known as Dennis the Dunce. Couldn't understand anything was going. on. Resentful, lonely, and all that. I remember my. father opening the report. The dreaded moment, about 5:00 in the. evening.

We were going to go go off to see a. film, I remember. Beautiful spring day. And he opened the report. And it said, "Anthony. is way below the standard of the. school.". Which is a death knell, really. And my father said, "I don't know what's. going to happen to you. I don't know. good you." But he he was worried. because, and quite reasonably, he'd. spent a bit of money to give me an. education, and I wasn't capable of. meeting that standard. I couldn't. understand anything. I my brain was sort.

of cut off. But I remember taking a. a slight move away. I said, "One day. I'll show you.". My father looked at me. He said, "Well, I hope you do.". Well, at that moment was I decided to to. stop playing the game of being stupid. and a dummy. We step into circles of. energy which are negative. And we play a. role because it's easy to say, "Well, you know, uh. I'm not you know, it's not meant for me." That's Well,

there's a truth in it, but at the same. time you have to say, "Wake up and. live.". Act as if it is impossible to fail. And that's what I did. You know, you. grew up the son of a baker, working class in Wales, and I I. can't imagine growing up that you knew. that many artists or actors. Um was the. idea of becoming an actor something that. you or your family had ambivalence. about?

>> No. Mhm. I think as a 17-year-old boy who didn't. know anything, really, something sparked. me, and I got a scholarship. to an acting school in South Wales. I'd. never acted in my life. But I did an audition. And uh. they gave me a scholarship. How, I don't. know. And I remember, this is another thing. I. remember going to see. a play with the great Peter O'Toole. at the Bristol Old Vic. He was playing.

Jimmy Porter in Look Back in Anger. And. onto the stage came this lightning bolt, Peter O'Toole, very dangerous actor. And I thought, "God, if he stepped off. the stage, he'd come and kill us all.". And um. 10 years later, I was in the theater, the National. Theatre, playing. uh Andrei in. Laurence Olivier's production of Three. Sisters by Chekhov. Knock on the door at. the end of the evening. Who should be there but Peter O'Toole?

Now, that's weird. And he said, "I want. you to do a film test for me.". It's a film with Katharine Hepburn. called The Lion in Winter. Yeah, it was. your first film. Yeah. So, I showed up. and uh did the test. He said, "Right, you've got it. You've got the part." And he'd had a few. to drink, and we had a few to drink. after that day. Now, that's beyond explanation to me. And I when I look at that film, which I. do occasionally, I think,

"How on earth did that happen? Why me?" I don't know to this day why. And um I am what I am, and I do what I. do because I love doing it. It's all in. the game. Wonderful game. called life. No sweat, no big deal. There are no big. deals. >> So, when you were. uh a kid and you would hear your father. or teachers. say you were a dummy, uh. I'm sure that the voice your voice in.

your own head when you were younger. also said, "I'm a dummy." That's right. How did And I think people are are often. in their lives, and certainly true for. me, um. you know, we do battle with this voice. in our head that tells us we can't do. things or we're stupid or whatever it. may be. Um. how did you quiet that voice? Or learn to control it? Well, it's still there in me from. childhood. But what you do with No.

whispers. So, what I say, "Shut up.". So, yeah, I just Yeah, thanks a lot. We. all have problems. We've all got. limitations. But I do believe that if you say, um. "Wake up and live.". Act as if it is impossible to fail. We. actually tap into a power that's in. ourselves. which helps us to do. well, not everything, but some things. I. discovered that I could compose music. I.

discovered that I could write. I. discovered through my lovely wife, Stella, that I could paint. And I remember she was an example. because she changed my life. She found some. drawings in some old scripts of mine. just. after we got married. And she said, "These drawings, you did. these?" I said, "Yes." She said, "You've. got to paint." I said, "I can't paint.". She said, "Of course you can. Just do. it.". So, I then bought some canvases and. acrylic paints and pens and inks.

And I just do it. I I have a a question about that, but. before I'm really having a hard time. with these headphones. All right, sorry about that. We're We're. back. >> I have much bigger headphones now. They. look good. >> All right, good. Yeah, thank you. Um you know, often when I've talked with. actors, um they've suggested that. something about acting and something. about their affinity for acting, or gift. for acting, um has to do with the way.

that acting fulfills something for them. Is there anything. that you find. acting fulfills for you? Some some inner. need? Well, a need would sound rather sad. I just enjoy it. Mhm. I enjoy the. the scientific fun of it of. learning a script all the lines. And I'm. very good at that. I. I learn everything there is to about the.

the text that I'm studying, because that. reforms something in me. And I suppose in a deep psychological. >> Yeah. level, I'm trying to escape from. what I was. I don't know. But if. somebody. >> What is the thing you were trying to. escape from? Well, that lonely kid, you. know. Yeah. And actually the vain surprise of. saying, "I did it. I survived my. loneliness. I survived those bullies.". Not that I blame them. God bless them. all. I mean, I'm not a victim. Mhm. And you know, I people choose to wallow.

in their hole. Well, okay, go ahead, but. you're going to die. Um because you can't do that. And that's. why I drank. Ah. To to um nullify that. uh discomfort or whatever it was in me, cuz it made me feel big. You know, booze. is terrific because it makes you. instantly feel. in a different space. And I enjoyed that. I didn't do it that. long. I did it 15 years. But I remember. thinking, "This is the life." And all.

actors in those days, Peter O'Toole, Richard Burton, all of them. And you. know, they I remember those drinking. sessions thinking, "This is the life. We're rebels. We're outsiders. We can. celebrate.". And at the back of the mind is. "And it'll kill you as well.". Ah. And I remember thinking, "This is going to kill me." The. drinking? Yeah. Cuz I was doing it I was drinking. like it was going out of fashion. And. those guys I worked with they've all. gone. And they were very talented.

people. Wonderful. But once you get into that. schizophrenic. stage when your personality becomes. uh. uh rapid, and from moment to moment. you're jolly nice guy in the bar, and. suddenly you turn. Viciously say, "You. talk to me like that." That's what was. happening to me. You uh. write about how you were influenced by. um older actors like uh Laurence Olivier. or or Katharine Hepburn sort of helped. you understand about film acting. But I.

was I was curious about whether any of. the younger actors that you've worked. with over the years, people like, you. know, Nicole Kidman or or Brad Pitt or. Ryan Gosling, have they taught you anything about. acting or or shown you anything about. the craft? Um. it's always been a pleasure to work with. them. I mean, Brad, and um the everyone you've just. mentioned, nothing but praise for them.

I was working with a young actor a few. years ago, young Canadian actor who looked a bit. like James Dean. Ah. I think he thought. he was James Dean. But we were doing a scene together and. he was mumbling. I said, "Can't hear a word you're. saying." Huh? "I can't hear you. Why are you mumbling?". I didn't want to spoil his day. Yeah. But I said, "If you do that, you see, then we go to the pub next door, cuz. you're supposed to tell us the story.

Speak up. Be clear. Wandering on like a. backstreet Marlon Brando is not going to. help you at all in your career.". I uh. uh uh. Never heard him since. In reading the book and in reading um. sort of older interviews with you or. older articles about you, I think to me. there's a a consistent. sense. that comes from you that uh. you know, acting shouldn't really be. taken that seriously. The actors are.

entertainers. And and I wonder, do you think acting has any greater. claim. on the truth? No. It's an entertainment. Mhm. Maybe it's. an educational way of entertaining. So. it has no deeper importance? Not dismissing it, but I'm just saying, you know, if I start taking myself. too seriously,

I I think. it's only a job. It's only It's only. acting. So for me, they're just. pastiches, little. dabs of paint in one's life. And. not to be taken. because of the moment when. you get to a certain age in life, you're. going through your grand ambitions, you. got great dreams, and everything's fine. And then on the. distant hill. is death. And you think, "Well, now is the time to.

wake up and live, and really enjoy it.". Do you Do you feel like you achieved. your dreams? Oh, yeah. I don't. I don't know if they were dreams. They. just happened to me. Uh cuz I can't take credit for them. At all. I I can't I mean, my life is a. mystery to me. I'm not trying to sound uh ultra modest. or humble. But I have to confess that I don't. understand. how it all happened.

The miracle is I look at my hands, you. know, my hands are 87-year-old man's. hands. Um. I'm slowing down. uh and you know, my body's creaky, although I'm still strong. But the miracle of it. is I'm still here. And that's not a mathematical formula. That's a miracle of life that's in us. all. The heart that still beats. I look at my. cat. I watch him sleeping, out for the count.

And I look at the miracle of his life. A little cat. The miracle of the sheer miracle. To. dismiss it is a sacrilege. What uh. What snaps you out of the miracle? Uh my. bad back. Ah. That'll do it. Yeah. It's not even that. bad. I you know, I get a bit of. treatment, lower back, bit of stiffness. Um. and what I do now is slow down. I take everything very slowly because. you know, I'm strong. My legs are strong. I work.

out. But what I do is I take it easy because. one trip, one fall, can kill you. Well, I mean, your age is you know, it's. it's a fact. It's it's undeniable. But. it doesn't really seem from afar as if. your productivity has slowed down. You. You work a lot. Um Yeah. Do you. Do you know what to do your with. yourself when you're not working? I play the piano. I read. But why do you.

work so much is my real question? They. offer still offer me work. I don't know. what's in their minds. They may think. I'm 40. I don't know if they give me. these jobs to do. I think, "Okay." And I. think, "Well, if they're. game to employ me, I hope I just show up. fit and well, and ready." But what do you say yes to? I mean, do you just say yes to. everything? Anything I got. Uh well, why not? No, I say yes as as. long as it's a good script, not too. far-fetched,

as long as the writing is good, and uh directors amenable. Uh. Yeah, why not? How often these days do you get a. director who's not amenable? Oh, they're all amenable now. Is that a change? Uh well, I used to in the past have. a few problems with. those days it was. they were tyrant directors, tyrannical. bullies.

Few of those, but when I. used to confront them, I would confront. them in no uncertain terms. I'd say things like, "You talk to me. like that, and you'll wake up with a crowd around. you.". Whether I meant it or not, I don't know. But I wouldn't put up with it. I said, "Don't talk to me like that.". Uh I said, "No, you shut up.". And either they would or they wouldn't. I remember working with a director who.

was. uh giving notes to a young. uh young woman, fine actress. >> Mhm. And he started shouting at her. I. said, "Hold it. You raise your voice one decibel. to this lady, and I'm going, 'And you, my dear, should. leave as well.'". She said after she said, "Thank you.". I said, "How long has he been doing. that?" She said, "From the whole time I've seen him." I. said, have told me.". I can't even remember the director. I. think he's gone now.

But no, I I defend people. Don't raise. your voice. It's a film. It's a stupid. film. That's all it is. It's not. important. Doing take after take after take after. take. Who cares? Do you Do you uh. feel that any of the films that you've. made would uh. Would you call them important? No. Not one? >> No. The Elephant Man. Give me The Elephant Man. Yeah, it was a good film.

The Remains of the Day. Yeah, they were good, but Silence of the. Lambs. Ah. But the the the the thing is, you know, about all that stuff. People ask me. about Silence of the Lambs. How did you. do that? I said, "Well, I'm not Hannibal. Lecter. I'm not a butler. I'm not this and I'm not that, I'm just. a mechanic. I show up. No one laughs. Someone says, "How did you play The Remains of the. Day?

That butler, how did you play him?". I said, "Well, I was very quiet, very still, and. walked about quietly." That's it. How did you play Hannibal Lecter? Well, I played the opposite of what they. promised. "Oh, he's a monster.". Good morning. You're not real FBI, are you? Gives me the heebie-jeebies. Don't do. that. Cuz you played the opposite. And it's easy. This idea that.

essentially life is a game, there are no. big deals, we don't need to take. anything so seriously, just got to do. the best you can. That's sort of a. in a way a recurring theme in. in your book. And I wonder if if we believe that, you. know, we shouldn't take anything too. seriously, what should we take seriously? What does. matter in life? Well, I don't mean to, you know, be a.

res- responsibly irresponsibly. indifferent to everything. There are difficulties, there are. monstrous difficulties in life, and. yeah, you take notice of them. But finally, and I think now. approaching 88 years of age, I wake up. in the morning going, "I'm still here. How? I don't know. But whatever is keeping me, I say, "Thank you very much, much obliged.". Beyond my. finite self, there's not much I can do.

I I had a gift when I was a boy. I. could suddenly learn. lots of words of speeches from. Shakespeare and poems and all that. Now. at this age, I. look at those poems that I wrote down, or. they bring back clear memories of my. childhood. >> Mhm. And I get very moved by it. You know, I. just have to think of them. I get. tearful, not through sadness, but. through the wonder of having been alive, having lived those years, and my clear.

memories of Wales, my clear memories of. my parents and their struggles and. hardships after the war years, you know. They really struggled to get make a. living and to give me an education. I. look back with tremendous gratitude, and. and I get kind of weepy. because I remember the glory of being a. child, you know. I had a good childhood. I wasn't bright. in school. I was hopeless, and I was. bullied a lot. I was slapped around. But I look back, and I think, well, that's part of growing up. In them those.

days, teachers could knock you about. I remember being slapped across the head. um by um a. a teacher several times. because I didn't know something. And what I would do or revert to would. be. called in the army dumb insolence. I. wouldn't respond. I just withdrawn to. myself, and I'd stare at them blankly. Yeah, can you show me what that looked. like cuz you refer to it a couple times. in the book. >> So, I remember the. the principal of the school slapping me.

on the head. He said, "You're. inadequate. Do you know what I mean?". Yes. No. Bang. You're inadequate. You got an empty brain. You're. brainless. There's the look. And it drove them nuts. And they're all dead now. You won. I won. But can you. >> know.

You know, there there I'd like to return. to the material from the book for a. second, and. um. the specific material I'd like to. focus on, I know it's uh. sensitive for you. So, if. >> what you're going to talk about, my. domestic life. Yes. >> No. No. Even though it's in the book. No. It's. done. Can I ask a general question that's not. specifically about the material in the. book? What?

It's about the. I'll I'll stumble through this. Part of. the reason that the material in the book. about your relationship with your. daughter, your strange relationship with. your daughter, part of the reason why I. found it so painful is that it resonated. with me for personal reasons. I've seen my father. I think twice in 20 years, you know, I've spoken to him once in in those 20. years, and I'm very curious about.

other people's experience of. that kind of estrangement. In this instance, the estrangement is. my choice, but I I just. wonder if you have thoughts about. where reconciliation might lie between. estranged parents and children. My wife, Stella, sent an invitation. to.

come and see us. Not a word of response. So, I think I'll give it a try. I wish her well. But I'm not going to waste blood over. that. If you want to waste your life being in. resentment. 50 years later, 58 years later, fine, go. ahead. It's not in my can. See, we can I could carry. resentment over the past, this and the.

other. But that's death. You're not living. You have to acknowledge one thing. that we are imperfect. We're not saints. We're all sinners and saints or whatever. we are. We do the best we can. Life is painful. Sometimes people get. hurt. Some of them we get hurt. But you. can't live like that. You have to say, "Get over it." And if. you can't get over it, fine. Good luck.

to you. But I have no judgment. But I did what I could. So, that's it. Would. do you hope. >> That's all I want to say. Do you hope. your daughter reads the book? I'm not going to answer that, no. I. don't care. I'll move on. Please, I I want you to. Cuz I don't want to hurt her. I understand. >> I don't want to I don't want to make any.

No. 20 years, the offer was made, but. fine. Onwards. In towards the end of the book, you talk about a a couple. labels that might apply to you, and one of which is Asperger's. I think. you say in there that your wife, Stella, sort of suspects that you may have. Asperger's. Have Have you ever been. diagnosed? No. No. I've I'm told I have. all the symptoms. I. I don't know what any of it means. If I.

have it, then I'm happy. I don't know. But the the other label, it's right in. the in in the same paragraph, you know, you you say another label that might. apply. is the label cold fish. And and you say. that you prefer the cold fish label to. the Asperger's label. Why is that? Why does that feel more. fitting or more comfortable? Well, it's. it's only um. it's only. a turn of phrase, cold fish. I'm not a. cold fish. I. have lots of feelings bundled up with.

them. They're deep inside me. When I. read something from the past, I get. tearful. It's not. I think what it is. I don't get attached. to sentimentality. In this business with actors who I. admire and I've worked with, I form no attachment. I respect them, but I form. Well, the cold fish is I am remote. I am.

a loner, and I've never been able to. shake that. Um. I have acquaintances, friends, if you want to call them that. I don't have any close friends. I'm I'm. I'm a little distant. Um a little suspicious, I suppose. I'm comfortable just. chuntering along through my.

my slightly isolated life. But I'm not a. recluse. I don't live in a tower. Um. I live in a house here, and. uh I'm traveling a lot. I have my. immediate family, my niece, Tara, and. um. my lovely wife, Stella, and they mostly. me about they tell me what to do. And I'm happy with that. The the. sort of personal remoteness you. described, I was wondering if if that.

how that might actually benefit your. performances sometimes because. when I think of some of your some of my. favorite performances that you've given, I'm thinking of things like Remains of. the Day or 84 Charing Cross Road, The Father, even on some level Silence of the Lambs. or Shadowlands has this too. There I. feel like there is. um. there is sort of an emotional remoteness. to some of those characters. Um. And I wonder if that's something that.

is just sort of like a. like a a fingerprint, maybe, or or a. signature of an of a good Anthony. Hopkins performance, or is that an. intentional sort of performing strategy? >> I think it's partially intentional. because. many years ago, there were two teachers. at the Royal Academy. They. They were brief visitors there. They did. not appreciate the academy. The academics but they were teachers of. the Stanislavski system, let's say.

And I remember this one teacher called. Yat Malmgren. And. he was a dance teacher. He's Swedish. And I used to go to these painful. classes of movement. I hated them. And I'm built like a Welsh. rugby scrum, you know, a bit beefy. And he said, "Anthony, you said you have. too much extraverted extraverted motoric. energy." So, "And you will become. insensitive.".

I didn't know what he was talking about. but I gathered instinctively to develop. the other side, which was to pull back. Be in the darkness. Be in the shade. Called remote. And it's the remote that paid off for me. cuz I had to change my whole psychology. To not be that rambunctious rugby player. coming on the stage bumping into people, being ferocious. Gradually I learned No, no, pull back. Pull back. There's one acting note that um.

There's Gloria Grahame, great movie. star. She was doing a film with Bogart. called In a Lonely Place. And Bogart said to her, "Stay in the shade.". "Don't go to the camera. Let it come to. you." He saw something in her because. she was a. little crazy, you know. He said, "Let it. come to you." And I think he had that. quality as well. And that's the more magnetic side. It. compels you to watch.

Well, because you're not doing anything. When Chilton says to Clarice Starling, "What's he like?" "You mean Hannibal the. Cannibal?". And Chilton, the head of the asylum, says, "Oh, he's a monster.". And she goes down. the passageway to the cell. maybe expecting to see a blubbering. lunatic. And Jonathan Demme said to me, he said,

"How do you want to be seen by Clarice?". "Do you want to be lying on the bunk or. do you want to. be reading?" I said, "No, I want to be. standing.". "Why?" I said, "I can smell her coming. down the corridor.". When she sees me, there's this. still perfectly civil gentleman. "Good. morning.". "You're not real FBI, are you?" "All the. way to the FBI.". That's the way to build the portrait.

And it's all remote because Lecter is. the remote spellbinding character. And if you have remoteness as the. centrifugal force in you, that's the. driving force that pulls you in. There's a another epiphany that I'd like. to. go back to, if you don't mind. Uh this. is another one you describe in the book. It's uh you were driving. in Los Angeles in I think the late '70s. And you felt a pull to uh.

go over to a Catholic church and you. went inside and you told a young priest. there that you had found God. Um. Now, I get the sense that you know, I. don't. you're not you know, going to church. every Sunday or sort of praying in a. conventional way. So, what is God to you? Well, it's a it's a. it's a touchy subject, isn't it? Because. um. religion and you know, But what happened that morning when that. voice said, "It's over. Now you can.

start living and it has all been from. for a purpose. So, don't forget one moment of it.". I knew that was a power way beyond my. understanding. Not up there in the. clouds. but here, in here. So, I chose to call it at that moment. God. I didn't know what else to call it. Sure, well, God is easy to spell. And I. I recently wrote a piece of music which.

was conducted in Riyadh, Goodbye. Piano and orchestra. And at the end. it came to me as I was writing it. as I was composing it. that that's it. We come full circle. We dip down to. That's all, folks. And that it was all a dream anyway. Everything is a dream.

And it's goodbye before death takes us. If you're getting nearer to the the big. goodbye, um. do you take any. pride or draw any. meaning or take any solace from what you. leave behind both as a person and as an. as an artist? Oh, you mean a heritage? A legacy. A legacy. I never think about it.

I never think about it. When they cover the earth over you. um. That's it. We move on. I remember going to. I was asked. by the widow of Laurence Olivier, Joan. Plowright, if I would read. the last lines of King Lear at the. casket in this little church in Sussex.

I was astounded that I was asked to do. it. There was. Olivier's casket full of the flowers and. wreaths and collections of flowers from. Shakespeare's Winter's Tale. And. after that we got into our cars and. went to um the crematorium. And I was sitting next to Maggie Smith, the great actress Maggie Smith. I didn't. know her that well but we were sitting. next to each other.

And we both worked with Olivier. And. there was the casket and finally as the. curtains. you could hear the rollers. taking them into the crematorium into. the flames. Maggie Smith said, "What a final curtain.". And I just said, "God almighty, what is. it all about?". The wonder. of all that energy that had gone into. his life or anyone's life. Not just the celebrity but anyone's.

life. The energy that goes into. survival. Seeing my own father. dying, you know. Going to the hospital. the night he died. And standing at the foot of his bed, my. mother. smoothing his hair. I felt his feet at. the bottom of the bed. They were dead cold. He's gone. And as I was stood there. that silent night in that. empty old empty sounding hospital.

in South Wales. a voice again came to me, "You're not so. hot, either.". This is what will happen to you. And it's a great wake-up call when you. know that. It's a fairly gruff voice. You're not so hot. But what it is, it's. an awakening. Several awakenings and. epiphanies where you think, "Yeah, that's right.". But Sir Sir Anthony, I realize I'm. dancing around a question that I would. like your answer to. Do you think your. life has had meaning?

The only meaning I can put to it. is that everything I sought. and yearned for found me. I didn't find it. It came to me. On the interview, we try to talk to our. guest twice. So, I spoke with Anthony Hopkins a few. days later. This time without video. [Music]. Hi, Tony. Hello, is that David? It is. David. How are you?

>> Good. Good. So, I of course saw that at the end of. your book, there's an appendix that. includes a handful of poems, which is. something I'd never seen done in an. autobiography before. Can you tell me. why you decided to include those poems? When I was a kid I learned a lot of. poems, a lot of. words and I was very moved by them from. I think from about the age of 11. There was one occasion.

I was in school um. I was sitting in the back of the. classroom where I always sat. sullenly. not wanting to be involved in anything. And uh. the English teacher. called me. He said, "I want Come up here. to the front of the class.". I said, "What for?". He said, "I want you to read this poem.". He seemed to have an instinct about me. that I knew something. And he handed me a poem which was um. West Wind by John Masefield.

Mhm. He said, "Read that." He said, "Out. loud.". I read it and. I was strangely moved by it. And at the end he said, "Um that's it. Okay, good.". Thank you. It's very good. So, it was my first good review, I. think. And I think that's what it is. It's an. expression of life. I read poems and I. get kind of yeah, I get moving by them. and I don't know why. I think it's to do. with my age and how poetry. digs really deep inside us, you know,

beyond our understanding. Would you be willing to read The West. Wind by John Masefield? That That is one. of the poems that you included in the. appendix. Let me just find it. Can I. Have I got a minute? Yep. Hold on a. second. Ah, well, yes. It's a warm wind, the west wind, full of birds cries. I never hear the west wind but tears are.

in my eyes. For it comes from the west lands, the. old brown hills, and April's in the west wind. and daffodils. It's a fine land, the west land, for. hearts as tired as mine. Apple orchards blossom there, the air is. like wine. There is cool green grass. there where men may lie at rest, and the thrushes are in song there, fluting in the nest.

Will you not come home, brother? You've. been long away. It's April and blossom time and white is. the may, and bright is the sun, brother, and warm is the rain. Will you not come home, brother? Home to us again? The young corn is green, brother, where. the rabbits run. It's blue sky and white. clouds and warm rain and sun. It's song to a man's soul, brother, fire. to man's brain, to hear the wild bees.

and see the merry spring again. Larks are singing in the west, brother, above the green wheat. So, will you not come home, brother, and rest your tired feet? I've a balm for bruised hearts, brother, sleep for aching eyes, says the warm wind, the west wind, full of birds cries. It's the white road, west wind is the. road I must tread to the green grass,

the cool grass, the rest for heart and. head, to the violets and the warm hearts and. the thrushes song in the fine land, the. west land, the land where I belong. I'd like to end on that eloquent grace. note. Sir Anthony Hopkins, thank you. very much. >> Thank you. I'm Lulu Garcia-Navarro. And I'm David. Marchese. And we're the hosts of The. Interview, an audio and video podcast.

from The New York Times. Every week we. interview fascinating and influential. people from all walks of life. Subscribe. to our YouTube channel so you'll never. miss an episode. [Music].