"Life has become so much better." Anthony Hopkins celebrated 50 years of sobriety.
Anthony Hopkins celebrated 50 years of sobriety. He announced the news on Instagram* two days before his 88th birthday. The Oscar winner posted a video reflecting on the moment he quit drinking.
"Here comes another happy New Year. But 50 years ago today, I almost died while driving under the influence. At that moment, I realized I was having too much fun. It's called alcoholism. So I stopped. It's no exaggeration: I got help 50 years ago, and that's all over," the actor said.
He advised those who also "have a problem" to listen to him, because his life "has become much better." "Choose life, not the opposite. Life, life, life, and more life. And in two days I'll be 88. So maybe I did something right after all, I don't know," he finished with a laugh.
Over the years, Hopkins has spoken openly about his past struggles with alcohol addiction. In his memoir, for example, the Silence of the Lambs star recounted how his doctor made him realize he was an alcoholic.
Hopkins was 37 years old when his doctor informed him that, due to his addiction to alcohol, he was physically aged between 50 and 65.
"My memories of that time are hazy. I caused a lot of pain during my years of drinking. I never suspected I was an alcoholic. Rarely does someone who abuses alcohol realize it without some kind of intervention, and even then, it takes time to understand. Denial is the greatest killer. And I was still in the grip of my addiction, although it was becoming increasingly difficult to deny," he shared.
The actor also recalled the turning point in his life when, one night while driving drunk in Beverly Hills, he realized he could kill someone.
"When I came to, I thanked God that no one died that night. I imagined my parents hearing that I had killed someone or died myself. I saw their hopes crumble," he wrote in the book. The actor continued: "I heard a voice asking me, 'Do you want to live or do you want to die?' 'I want to live,' a voice answered from somewhere in the back of my mind. Then I heard a voice saying, 'It's over. You can start living.' The craving for alcohol left me. It was eleven o'clock on December 29, 1975."
Hopkins said he was fortunate to regain clarity of mind that night. He told his agent he needed help and was able to focus on treatment, noting that he still attends 12-step meetings.
Hopkins's notable acting credits include "The Lion in Winter," "The Elephant Man," "The Silence of the Lambs," "Bram Stoker's Dracula," "Legends of the Fall," "Meet Joe Black," and "The Father." A two-time Oscar winner, he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is currently married to Colombian-born Stella Arroyave. He has a daughter, Abigail, from his first marriage, with whom he is estranged.
Фото: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for The Red Sea International Film FestivalCedric Ribeiro/Getty Images for GEA