Renowned actor Anthony Hopkins recently opened up about his strained relationship with his daughter, Abigail, in a memoir.
In November, the celebrated Silence of the Lambs actor released a memoir entitled We Did Ok, Kid, which delves into his experiences with his daughter.
Hopkins became a father in 1968 during his marriage to British actress Petronella Barker, with the birth of their daughter, Abigail.
Within his book, Hopkins, who has been sober for 50 years after overcoming alcoholism, shares his perspective on leaving his family.
He recalls a significant moment following a disagreement, marking the last time he saw his 14-month-old daughter, Abigail.
“I looked down at her and whispered goodbye,” he wrote. “Then I walked back to the hall, picked up my suitcases, and left the house.”
Now aged 57, Abigail continues to be estranged from her father.
This week, Hopkins engaged in a conversation with New York Times journalist David Marchese for a special edition of The Interview, discussing his career, sobriety, and memoir.
During their discussion, Marchese touched on the topic of estrangement, seeking Hopkins’ views on reconciliation between parents and children.
Hopkins’ response evoked a range of reactions from social media audiences.
Anthony began: “My wife Stella sent an invitation to come and see us.
“Not a word of response. So I think, okay, fine. I wish her well, but I’m not going to waste blood over that.”
The actor, known for his Academy Award-winning performances, continued: “If you want to waste your life being in resentment… 58 years later, fine. Go ahead…
“I could carry resentments over the past, this and the other, but that’s death. You’re not living.”
He added that ‘we are imperfect…We’re all sinners and saints or whatever we are,’ but ‘we do the best we can.’
Anthony continued: “Life is painful. Sometimes people get hurt. Sometimes we get hurt. But you can’t live like that.
“You have to say get over. it. Now, if you can’t get over it, fine. Good luck to you.”
“But I have no judgment. I did what I could. So that’s it.”
When asked if he hopes his daughter reads his book, Anthony responded: “I’m not going to answer that. No, I don’t care… I don’t want to hurt her.”
The brief excerpt from their 42-minute interview was posted on Instagram, prompting mixed reactions from viewers.
One individual criticized him as the ‘perfect example’ of ‘what’s wrong with “get over it” parents,’ stating: “No care or accountability at all. Just ‘get over it’ and an insistence of wanting to try and make things right on their own terms.
“A great quote I heard once was, ‘The biggest blessing one can have as a parent is having kids who want to talk to you.’ Sir Anthony, sadly, doesn’t give a s**t.”
Another person expressed: “I could never not try to make amends with my child, no matter what the situation. How can you be so unbothered?”
“This attitude from someone who starred in The Father. How sad,” another commented, referring to the 2020 film in which Hopkins played a father with dementia, cared for by his daughter, portrayed by Olivia Colman.
However, others came to Hopkins’ defense.
“I wouldn’t judge him on this one answer when these relationships are complex – anymore than I would judge his daughter for not replying…” one person noted.
“Maybe he should reach out… But regardless, he is right. We aren’t perfect and you can’t live your life in resentment,” another added.
In his memoir, Hopkins expressed that he will ‘always be sorry’ for the pain caused by his departure but believes he had no other choice at the time.
“I hope my daughter knows that my door is always open to her,” he stated.
Requests for comments have been forwarded to both Abigail and Anthony’s representatives.