‘Silence of the Lambs’ Star Anthony Hopkins Shares Inspiring Sober Message for Dry January & Beyond
It is the start of the New Year and many people are working on their resolutions and goals. It seems that at the top of many lists are goals to abstain or cut back on alcohol use. If you’re interested in trying Dry January, where you give up alcohol for the month of January or even going sober for good, actor Anthony Hopkins has a very inspiring message for you.
The 86-year-old shared an impressive milestone on his social media account. He revealed that he has been sober for 48 years now and encouraged those facing addiction to seek help because a better life is right around the corner. He shared a video that began, “Hello there. Happy New Year to you all. All you revelers and drinkers and all having fun – wonderful! Happy new year, have a great time.”
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He continued, “If you get a hangover, remember me. I don’t get them anymore because 48 years ago today, I stopped, I got help for it and my life changed. I don’t envy you having fun out there, but if you need help, a day at a time, life is in session, go for it.” Many fans congratulated Hopkins for such a huge achievement, while others shared their own sober journeys.
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In a previous interview, Hopkins opened up about why he got sober. He said that he had a wake-up call in 1975 when he woke up in a hotel room in Arizona, unsure about his whereabouts or how he got there. He faced a tough decision. He said he had the thought, “Do you want to live or die? And I said I wanted to live.” He realized that he was headed down a bad road and decided to get help.
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This major decision helped him achieve the life of his dreams. He went on to win an Oscar for his role as serial killer Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs. He won his second Oscar for The Father in 2021, making him the oldest-ever Oscar winner.
If you are struggling with addiction, help is available. Call the free and confidential SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
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