Anthony Hopkins Opens Up About the Life-Changing Moment He Realized His Struggle with Alcoholism

Anthony Hopkins recently reflected on a harrowing experience that served as a wake-up call, making him confront his struggle with alcoholism. During his appearance on the New York Times’ podcast, “The Interview,” Hopkins shared a chilling memory that marked a turning point in his life.

“I found myself in a blackout, driving through California with no memory of where I was heading,” Hopkins recounted. The thought that he could have caused harm to others—or even to himself, though at the time he felt indifferent about his own well-being—was a sobering realization. “I could have killed a family in a car,” he confessed, emphasizing the potential consequences of his actions.

This incident was the catalyst for Hopkins’ acknowledgment of his alcoholism. “I realized that I was an alcoholic, and I came to my senses,” the Oscar-winning actor admitted. The gravity of the situation pushed him to seek help.

Hopkins, now 87, recalled a pivotal moment when he confided in a former agent during a party in Beverly Hills, openly admitting, “I need help.” This admission marked the beginning of his journey toward recovery.

Hopkins, 87, recalled seeing an ex-agent at a Beverly Hills party and admitting, “I need help.”

Page Six has reached out to a rep for the actor for further comment.

The iconic actor recalled other details — including the exact time he heard a voice that helped him put his drinking problem behind him, after reaching out to a 12-step program in Los Angeles.

“It was 11 o’clock precisely — I looked at my watch,” he divulged.

“And this is the spooky part — some deep, powerful thought or voice spoke to me from inside and said, ‘It’s all over. Now you can start living. And it has all been for a purpose, so don’t forget one moment of it.’”

Hopkins said the voice — which he described as “male” and “like a radio voice” — removed his desire to drink.

“The craving to drink was taken from me, or left,” he said. Hopkins has since been sober for decades.

“Now I don’t have any theories except divinity or that power that we all possess inside us that creates us from birth, life force, whatever it is. It’s a consciousness, I believe. That’s all I know.”

The legendary “Silence of the Lambs” star — who celebrated 49 years of sobriety in December — also explained why drinking appealed to him as a younger actor.

“Booze is terrific because it makes you instantly feel in a different space,” he shared, adding that it “made [him] feel big” and helped “nullify” his “discomfort.”

He also reflected on having made it past his challenges.

“There are monstrous difficulties in life and you take notice of them,” he said. “But finally, approaching 88 years of age, I wake up in the morning going: ‘I’m still here. How?’”