Anthony Hopkins celebrates 45 years of sobriety: ‘I want to live’

Anthony Hopkins attends The Two Popes Gala Event at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 18, 2019, in Hollywood, California. Rich Polk/Getty Images for Netflix/AFP

Anthony Hopkins celebrated 45 years of being sober, just two days before he turned 83 years old on Dec. 31.

Hopkins—Hannibal Lecter to fans of “The Silence of the Lambs”—shared in a video on Twitter, Dec. 29 (Dec. 30 in the Philippines), that he had a “wake up call” exactly 45 years past, on Dec. 29, 1975.

“It’s been a tough year full of grief and sadness for many, many, many people. But 45 years ago today, I had a wake up call. I was heading for disaster, drinking myself to death,” Hopkins said. “I’m not preachy, but I got a message, a little thought that said, ‘Do you want to live or die?’ I said, ‘I want to live.’”

With gratitude, I celebrate 45 years of sobriety. pic.twitter.com/fxzMRGlI4m

— Anthony Hopkins (@AnthonyHopkins) December 29, 2020

The Oscar-winning actor added that in acknowledging his desire to live, he suddenly felt relief come into his life. He admitted he has his off days, as well as doubts every now and then, but he encouraged those who may be in the same boat to hang on.

“I say hang in there. Today is the tomorrow you were so worried about yesterday. Young people, don’t give up, just keep in there, just keep fighting,” he said. “Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid. That sustained me through my life.”

It can be remembered that Hopkins and fellow actor Brad Pitt opened up about their struggle with alcoholism for Interview Magazine on Dec. 2, 2019. At the time, Pitt shared that he saw alcohol as a “disservice” to himself and as an escape. Hopkins, meanwhile, shared to Pitt that he looks at his struggle with alcoholism as a blessing.

“But I look at it, and I think, ‘What a great blessing that was, because it was painful.’ I did some bad things. But it was all for a reason, in a way,” Hopkins was quoted as saying. “And it’s strange to look back and think, ‘God, I did all those things?’ But it’s like there’s an inner voice that says, ‘It’s over. Done. Move on.’” Cody Cepeda  /ra

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