We Did Ok, Kid – Anthony Hopkins (2025)

In this honest and moving memoir, Academy Award-winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins explores his illustrious film and theatre career, difficult childhood and path to sobriety. Born and raised in Port Talbot, a small Welsh steelworks town, amid war and depression, he grew up among men who were tough, to say the least, and who rejected emotional vulnerability in favour of alcoholism and brutality. A struggling student, he was regarded by his peers, parents and other adults as a failure with no future. Then, one fateful Saturday night, the disregarded Welsh boy watched the 1948 adaptation of Hamlet, sparking a passion for acting that led him along a path no one could have predicted. With candour and a voice that is both arresting and vulnerable, Sir Anthony recounts the milestones of his career and offers a rare look at the brilliance behind some of his most iconic roles. His performance as Iago secured his admission to the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and brought him under the wing of Laurence Olivier. He met Richard Burton by chance as a boy in his art teacher’s apartment, then encountered his hero backstage before a performance of Equus as an established actor. His portrayal of Hannibal Lecter drew on Bela Lugosi’s unsettling performance in Dracula and the razor-sharp precision of his acting teacher. For an unforgettable performance in King Lear, he drew raw emotion from the stoicism of his father and grandfather. Sir Anthony also examines the low points of his personal life. His addiction cost him his first marriage, his relationship with his only child and nearly his life, ultimately propelling him towards sobriety, a commitment he has maintained for almost half a century. He continually battles the desire to move through life alone and avoid connection for fear of being hurt, much like the men in his family, while confronting questions of mortality and preparing to discover what his father called “The Big Secret.” Featuring a special collection of personal photographs, this raw and passionate memoir presents a complex, iconic man who has inspired audiences with remarkable performances for more than sixty years.