Instagram/Anthony Hopkins
Sir Anthony Hopkins reflected on the “fatal day” that led him to ditch booze as he celebrates 49 years of sobriety.
The Oscar winner, who is celebrating his 87th birthday Tuesday, took to Instagram over the weekend to share a candid message with fans about his decision to put down the bottle for good.
“Forty-nine years ago today, I stopped,” he said in a video, mimicking a drinking gesture. “And I was having such fun. But then I realized I was in big, big trouble because I couldn’t remember anything and I was driving a car drunk out of my skull.”
“Then on that fatal day, I realized I needed help. So I got it. I phoned up a group of people like me — alcoholic. And that was it. Sober. I’ve had more fun these 49 years than ever,” he added.
The “Silence of the Lambs” actor reminded his 5.4 million followers on the platform to seek help should they need it.
“If you do have a problem… having fun is wonderful, having a drink is fine — but if you are having a problem with the booze, there is help,” Hopkins said. “It’s not a terrible deal — it’s a condition if you’re allergic to alcohol. Get some help. There’s plenty of help around.”
“One thing I didn’t realize, I was not unique. There are thousands of people around like me. Anyway, I got sober and, it sounds a dull word, but I’ve had a wonderful life. They still employ me, they still give me jobs,” he said.
The “Meet Joe Black” star said he’s now focused on “celebrating my long life — unexpectedly long life” after quitting drinking in 1975.
“So if you have a problem, you know where to go. Phone any intergroup, 12-step program, whatever you could do. Because it is a killer,” he said, concluding his message, “With that, Happy New Year.”
The clip, which has amassed over 350,000 likes on the platform, was captioned, “One day at a time. 49 years. Life is in session. 🎉.”
The heartwarming video continues a tradition for the actor, who has shared his previous struggles with alcohol in several inspirational videos in previous years.
In a video shared on Instagram in 2022, Hopkins said he was in a “desperate situation” that led him to become sober after having “probably not long to live.”
In a 2020 interview with the New York Times, the actor recalled waking up in a hotel room in Arizona without any memory of how he ended up there.
“I thought, ‘Well, I’ve got to stop this because I’m either going to kill somebody or myself,’” he told the outlet. “My life, from that moment on, took on new meaning.”