As the actor who personified evil in his chilling portrayal of a cannibalistic killer in ‘The Silence of the Lambs’, Anthony Hopkins is regarded as one of the greatest actors alive. This highly celebrated character actor started his career as a stage performer. Impressed by the young man’s talents and dedication, the great British actor Laurence Olivier invited him to be his understudy at The Royal National Theatre. The young Anthony thrived under the guidance of the senior actor and was on the way to making it big as a theatre artist. However, he was bored of playing the same kind of roles and desired a change. He gradually moved away from the stage and entered the world of television and movies. He made his television debut in the BBC production of the play ‘A Flea in Her Ear’ and played a minor role in the short film ‘The White Bus’. He got his first major role in ‘The Lion in Winter’ which was a commercial as well as critical success. He went on to portray a variety of on-screen characters over his long and successful acting career. He reached the peak of success when he played the brilliant psychiatrist turned cold-blooded murderer Hannibal Lecter in ‘The Silence of the lambs’ for which he won an Academy Award. In a career spanning over six decades, he has earned numerous awards and accolades, including an 'honourary Golden Globe,' two 'Academy Awards,' two 'Primetime Emmy Awards,' three 'British Academy Film Awards,' a star on the 'Hollywood Walk of Fame,' a 'Laurence Oliver Award,' and 'BAFTA Fellowship.'
