Since making his big-screen debut in 1968's The Lion in Winter, Sir Anthony Hopkins has become a household name in film and one of the most prolific actors of all time. The Welsh star featured in classic 20th-century movies from some of the biggest directors including David Lynch, Richard Attenborough, Steven Spielberg, and Francis Ford Coppola. Hopkins' acting prowess has seen him garner two Academy Awards for Best Actor from six nominations, two Emmy wins, and numerous other accolades including a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in 1993. Known for his dramatic and oftentimes terrifying roles, the seasoned actor is an ace at diving deep into roles, preferring to find spontaneity in a scene despite his masterful ability to memorize his lines.
Hopkins is behind some of cinema's most iconic characters including Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, and Red Dragon, but his prolific career has spanned so much more. He's played a Norse god, multiple doctors, and two U.S. presidents. With more than 100 acting credits, it's hard to narrow down the best, most moving, and critically acclaimed roles of his career, but we shall do our best.
Here are EW's picks, in no particular order, for the best Anthony Hopkins roles, from Oscar winners like The Silence of the Lambs and The Father to fan favorites like Westworld and Thor.
Dr. Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Hopkins brought the brilliant and cunning Dr. Hannibal Lecter to life in Jonathan Demme's multiple Oscar-winning thriller, The Silence of the Lambs. Behind bars, Lecter is enlisted by the determined FBI rookie Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) to catch a new serial killer, "Buffalo Bill" (Ted Levine).
Hopkins disappears into the unblinking cannibal, turning him into one of cinema's most iconic characters, with memorable quotes and spine-tingling stares into the camera. He's been parodied countless times, and while other actors have stepped into the role before and after with great acumen, namely Brian Cox and Mads Mikkelsen, no one's played Lecter with such incredible prestige as Hopkins.
Dr. Frederick Treves, The Elephant Man (1980)
In The Elephant Man, Hopkins plays Dr. Frederick Treves, a surgeon who rescues a heavily disfigured man who is a mistreated circus sideshow attraction in one of the least Lynchian movies of David Lynch's career.
While John Hurt is the standout of the film, providing depth and empathy to the character of John Merrick, Hopkins' portrayal of the real-life doctor and author adds a human connection to the story that makes us confront our humanity.
