At 85, Anthony Hopkins Lives To The Fullest After Finding Love In His 60s & Paints And Dances In Videos

Oct 04, 2023

Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, professionally known as Anthony Hopkins, has made his mark on film and television for more than half a century. His incredible talents as an actor, director, and producer have helped bring his visions to life and earned him a huge fan following. Both fans and critics alike have raved frequently about the accomplished star over the years for his unique acting skills and impeccable abilities to portray several distinct characters.

Born on Dec. 31, 1937, in Port Talbot, Wales, Hopkins grew up inspired by fellow Welsh actor Richard Burton. Despite facing academic challenges in school and also struggling with his mental health over the years, Hopkins never gave up on his dreams of making it big. 

It wasn’t long before Hopkins himself became a legend in his own right in the entertainment industry. Some of his most notable films include “The Silence of the Lambs,” “Hannibal,” and “Hitchcock.” The accomplished actor has also appeared in several television shows and films, creating an outstanding filmography along the way.

While it’s clear that Hopkins managed to conquer the entertainment industry, he struggled a bit more to find true love in his personal life. It took a few tries, but he managed to get it right with his third marriage when he tied the knot with Stella Arroyave in 2003. The two have been happily together ever since and have even gone on to work together. 

Since finding love at 65, Hopkins has been living life to the fullest. Now 85 years old, he channels his fun-loving side into sharing Instagram and Facebook posts of his painting, traveling, and dancing in videos.

Although Hopkins is easily one of the most recognized names in Hollywood today, he wasn’t always known for his immense amount of talent. Speaking with the Daily Mail in July 2013, he said, “I was pathetic at school in Port Talbot. I don’t know if it was dyslexia or attention deficit disorder, or just me being a problem child, but I sat in the back of the classroom and didn’t know what any of the teachers were talking about.” 

His school years were challenging, but Hopkins had high hopes for his future.

“I thought: ‘I will get my revenge, I will become rich and famous and that will show them,’” he said.

Hopkins landed his first role in 1960 in the TV series “A Matter of Degree.” He continued to land small roles here and there until 1968 when he landed the role of Richard in the film “The Lion in Winter.” Not only did the film help establish Hopkins as an actor, but it also gave him a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

The rising star continued to act in films, television series and stage productions, as he rose to even higher levels of fame and success. In 1991, he was cast as Dr. Hannibal Lector in “The Silence of the Lambs,” a role that earned him an Academy Award and BAFTA for Best Actor. His role as a serial killer has gone down in film history as one of the best portrayals of a villain. With so much success following the film, it only made sense for Hopkins to reprise his role in “Hannibal” in 2001 and “Red Dragon” in 2002.

Some of the actor’s other notable films include “The Remains of the Day,” “Amistad” and “The Mask of Zorro.”

In the early years of his illustrious career, Hopkins grappled with alcoholism. What began as a social pastime in the theater escalated into a destructive addiction, leaving the actor feeling "hell bent on destruction." The year 1975 marked a turning point when Hopkins realized he needed help and sought refuge in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

At an AA meeting, a woman posed a simple yet profound question that would alter the course of Hopkins' life forever. She asked, "Why don't you just trust in God?" 

In 2011, he told CNN he faced a crisis of faith in his young life. He described feeling "possessed by a demon" because of his alcoholism and then experienced a "quantum leap" of faith when he met the woman at his AA meeting.

Reflecting on his past atheistic beliefs, Hopkins also told the Catholic Herald in 2011 that he could no longer fathom living with such certainty and closed-mindedness. 

"Being an atheist must be like living in a closed cell with no windows," he said. “I’d hate to live like that, wouldn’t you?" 

He added: "But I couldn’t live with that certainty, and I wonder about some of them: why are they protesting so much? How are they so sure of what is out there?"

He echoed similar sentiments in an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 2020, saying:

“Agnosticism is a bit strange. An agnostic doubts and atheism denies. … I do believe more than ever now that there is a vast area of our own lives that we know nothing about.” 

He added that as he gets “older, I can cry at the drop of a hat because the wonderful, terrible passion of life is so short. I have to believe there’s something bigger than me.”

Hopkins’ career is undeniably full of success, but it took a while for the star’s love life to parallel his career success. The “Westworld” star has been married three times and divorced twice. Hopkins was first married to actress Petronella Barker in 1966. The couple welcomed their daughter, Abigail Harrison, two years into their union. 

They were married for six years until their divorce in 1972. According to a publication by Birmingham Live, the union between Hopkins and Barker ultimately came to an end after the actor found success on stage. He began spending more time away from his family and started depending on alcohol.

Barely one year after his first marriage ended, “The Silence of The Lambs” star found love again in the arms of Jennifer Lyton. The pair met when Lyton, a then-production assistant, went to pick Hopkins up from the airport after he missed his flight. Hopkins and Lyton got married in 1973 and were married for 29 years until their marriage ended in 2002. After the end of his second marriage, Hopkins stated that he wasn’t good with relationships and didn’t want to be tied down with anyone for a long time.

Hopkins found love again for the third time, despite his claims that he wasn’t great at relationships. In 2003, he married his current wife, Arroyave, and remains married to her to this day. According to The List, Hopkins and Arroyave first met at an antique shop in Los Angeles and tied the knot two years later. Since then, the couple has helped each other find a real sense of love and happiness. 

“I’m always buying gifts and flowers for my wife. She appreciates that, and then I get rewards. She makes me breakfast and brings it to me when I’m in bed,” he remarked.

Hopkins even credited his wife as helping him push through a “slight depression.” Speaking about his wife with the Independent, Hopkins said, “Every day she wakes up happy. She’s very positive about everything. I learnt from her just to take life as it comes. So I live my life in non-expectation.”

In 2020, the couple teamed up to work on a movie together titled “Elyse.” The movie served as Arroyave’s directorial debut with her husband taking on the leading role. Although Arroyave had worked as an actress and film producer before, this was her first time behind the camera. Variety reported that she shot “Elyse” in just 13 days. 

While the film was already a breakthrough moment for Arroyave’s career, it was also the first time she ever directed her famous husband. “He’s a consummate professional,” she said about Hopkins. “He treated the set and me and the actors as he treated any other film production.” Hopkins and Arroyave have been married for 20 years now, and it’s clear that their love is as strong as ever.

According to People magazine, Hopkins told AARP that Arroyave was a perfect partner for him as she knew how to keep his restless behavior in line.

“I’m a workaholic. I act; I paint; I play music; I read a lot. It keeps the brain active. I’ll go on working until I drop,” he said.

He added Arroyave would usually be the one to remind him to take a break.

“Stella is good at keeping me in a harness. I spend hours in the studio painting, and she’ll come in and say, ‘Enough.’ I don’t have much common sense.”

Besides his tumultuous history with his love life, Hopkins also has a strained relationship with his daughter, Abigail. According to the Scottish Daily Mail, the father and daughter have had no communication for over two decades. The estrangement between the father and daughter is so severe that he doesn’t know anything about her, including where she lives and whether or not she has children. 

According to the Mirror, Hopkins hasn’t been in contact with his daughter since the early 2000s.

"I guess I am selfish. I have not been a good husband or father,” Anthony said in 2002.

He added that he “hardly ever” hears from Abigail.

"I guess we are estranged. I hope she is well. She is too busy and has to do her own thing. I think she is in England somewhere. Life is life. You get on with it.”

Anthony also opened up about his relationship with RadioTimes.com and confessed he didn’t have “any idea” whether Abigail had a family of her own.

“People break up. Families split and, you know, ‘Get on with your life.’ People make choices. I don’t care one way or the other.”

And when the interviewer pointed out that his comment was a little “cold,” the actor added, “Well, it is cold. Because life is cold.”

Since then, the actor has been reluctant to speak about his relationship with his daughter. In a 2021 interview with The Sunday Times Magazine, he called the topic “taboo,” adding he did not want a single “word on that.”

However, the octogenarian did more generally comment on the past. 

"The past is sealed. I have regrets,” he said.

"You can't undo things. You have to get on with life — live it and don't look back."

The Academy Award-winning actor is proof that you can find love at any age. Hopkins found love at 65 and has been thriving since then. Now, in his 80s, life is so much different for the celebrated actor than in his younger years. He is free from his addictions and takes pleasure in the simpler things of life.

Hopkins is active on social media, sharing aspects of his life with his admirers. He also uses his platform to share inspiring messages, using his sobriety journey as a key point for self-love. In an Instagram video shared by the actor on Dec. 29, 2022, Hopkins delved deeply into his 47-year sobriety journey, mental health, addiction, and bullying.

"Don't listen to them. Don't let yourself be put down. Depression is part of being alive, sometimes (as is) anxiety. Life is tough," Hopkins said.

He went on to encourage his audience to seek help in whatever areas of their lives they felt were necessary.

“Wishing everyone a healthy 2023,” the caption read.

Hopkin’s 2022 end-of-the-year inspirational video wasn’t the first. On Dec. 29, 2020, he shared a video celebrating 45 years of sobriety on X. In the clip, he encouraged people facing difficulties, wished his audience a happy new year, and proclaimed that the coming year would be their best one yet.

Apart from his occasional inspirational videos, Hopkins shares content related to his art, hobbies, and charitable efforts. In a 2021 Valentine's Day post on Facebook, he shared a clip of his “No Kid Hungry” painting collection while playing a piano in the background. 

In another video posted on June 11, 2023, on Facebook, the life-loving Hopkins was seen breaking into a dance as he walked beside an individual in Siena, Italy.

How do you feel about Anthony Hopkins embracing life in his 80s? Do you find his story inspiring? Let us know — and consider passing this on to friends, loved ones, and fellow Anthony Hopkins admirers.