Happy Birthday: Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins

Born: December 31, 1937 in Margam, Port Talbot, West Glamorgan, Wales, UK

Is proud of his improvisational touches as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs (1991) such as: the unnerving effect on Jodie Foster when he mocked her character’s West Virginia accent; the distorion of the word “chianti” and the vile slurping sound he makes after he describes eating the “census-taker.” Hopkins also notes that Hannibal never blinked his eyes when he spoke.

I’ve never considered myself a great actor. I’m a fluke. I work hard and I see through the bastards and to this day I have massive energy; I think it keeps a youthfulness in me. I never slow down because I love to work. I did four films last year. My agent says, ‘Would you like to read the phone book next week for them [directors]?’ And I say, ‘Yeah OK.’