Anthony Hopkins is celebrating two major milestones.
In an Instagram video posted Sunday, the Oscar-winning actor marked 49 years of sobriety, two days before his 87th birthday.
Hopkins, speaking in front of a fireplace in the clip, recalled that he stopped drinking on Dec. 29, 1975, after he realized he “was in big, big trouble.”
“I was driving a car drunk out of my skull,” he explained. “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.”
The “Silence of the Lambs” star continued, “I’ve had more fun these 49 years than ever.” He also encouraged fans who may have a problem with alcohol to seek help. “One thing I didn’t realize (was) that I was not unique,” he said. “There are thousands of people around like me.”
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Hopkins will also turn 87 on Tuesday. He said in his video message that he has “had a wonderful life” and is grateful that “they still give me jobs.”
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“I’m celebrating my long life — unexpectedly long life,” he reflected.
In 2020, Hopkins told The New York Times he realized he needed to stop drinking after waking up in a hotel room in Arizona with no memory of how he got there.
“I thought, ‘Well, I’ve got to stop this because I’m either going to kill somebody or myself,’” he said. “My life, from that moment on, took on new meaning.”
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Hopkins usually commemorates the anniversary of when he got sober in a video shared on social media each year. In 2020, he remembered how he was “heading for disaster” and “drinking myself to death” before his “wake-up call.”
“I got a message, a little thought that said, ‘Do you want to live or die?’ And I said, ‘I want to live,’” he said. “And suddenly the relief came and my life has been amazing.”
Hopkins made history in 2021 as the oldest person to win an acting Oscar after being awarded best actor for “The Father.” He was 83 at the time. After not attending the ceremony, which was held during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hopkins said in an acceptance speech posted on social media, “At 83 years of age, I did not expect to get this award. I really didn’t.”
Hopkins has continued to perform regularly and since his 2021 Oscar win has starred in movies like “Armageddon Time,” “One Life,” and “Freud’s Last Session.” He won his first best actor Oscar for “The Silence of the Lambs” in 1992.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental and/or substance use disorders, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s free and confidential treatment referral and information service at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). It’s available 24/7 in English and Spanish (TTY: 1-800-487-4889) .
Contributing: Hannah Yasharoff
