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Sir Anthony Hopkins says acting schools are ‘a waste of money’

Anthony Hopkins has been given the “legend award” at this year’s GQ Men Of The Year Awards (Gavin Bond)
Anthony Hopkins has been given the “legend award” at this year’s GQ Men Of The Year Awards (Gavin Bond)

Sir Anthony Hopkins has said costly acting schools are a waste of money.

The double Oscar winner warned aspiring thespians they should be wary of being told what to do by self-appointed experts.

“Don’t waste your money,” the 83-year-old told GQ magazine when asked about acting school.

“They’re failed actors that set themselves up as gurus. That’s one of the reasons I left the National Theatre – we had a particular director who was very picky.

 (Gavin Bond)
(Gavin Bond)

“And that’s one of the reasons that I would be angry. “

He added many coaches are themselves failed actors who are more interested in themselves than teaching students.

“There’s one very well-known actor with an acting class here in Los Angeles and he’s the star of the show,” Hopkins said.

“And all these other students sitting around paying their fees and he’s the star. He’s on stage with them, interrupting them, being rude to them. No, you don’t do that.”

 (Gavin Bond)
(Gavin Bond)

The Welsh actor, who has been given the “legend award” at this year’s GQ Men Of The Year Awards in association with BOSS, won his first Oscar in 1992 for his portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in the Silence of the Lambs.

He received his second Academy Award this year for playing a man suffering from dementia in The Father.

But Hopkins said he did not attend a ceremony because of Covid fears and instead went to bed.

“The Academy had stipulated that the nominees would have to go to either London or Dublin and, at my age, the risk of Covid and all that, I had no intention of going,” he said.

“I went to bed, then at about five o’clock in the morning, my buzzer went off on my phone. My agent said, ‘Tony, you’ve just got the second Oscar.’ I couldn’t believe it. We were all up and celebrating. So then I made a little speech and a tribute to Chadwick Boseman, sadly gone so young in his life.”