Anthony Hopkins Reveals That This One Question About God Saved Him From Alcoholism
Surely one of the greatest actors in the history of film is Anthony Hopkins, who has filled countless roles with his powerful presence and stoic demeanor.
But, like many celebrated artists of the silver screen, Hopkins has his share of struggles, including alcoholism, which he candidly spoke about during a conference recently.
The Christian Post reports that Hopkins, addressing a crowd in California, explained that it was his “trust in God” that helped him overcome his struggle with alcohol, and particularly one pressing question that was presented to him in recovery.
“Because that’s what you do in theater, you drink,” the 80-year-old Welsh actor told around 500 students at the University of California, Los Angeles this week. “But I was very difficult to work with, as well, because I was usually hungover,” added Hopkins, who was a guest speaker at the 11th annual Leap (Leadership, Excellence and Accelerating Your Potential) conference, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
In December 1975, when he was “disgusted, busted and not to be trusted,” as he described his condition at the time, he met a woman at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting who asked him, “Why don’t you just trust in God?”
Hopkins, who was knighted in 1993 for services to the arts and is seen as one of the world’s greatest living actors, said his craving for alcohol was taken from him, “never to return.”
“I believe that we are capable of so much,” he told the students. “From my own life, I still cannot believe that my life is what it is because I should have died in Wales, drunk or something like that. … We can talk ourselves into death or we can talk ourselves into the best life we’ve ever lived. None of it was a mistake. It was all a destiny.”
Hopkins also went on to warn the young actors in the audience to be vary wary of the allure of fame and fortune.
“If you chase the money, it’s not gonna work. And if you chase success, it’s not gonna work,” he said. “You just have to chase whatever you want to be, but live it as if it is happening now. Act as if you’re already there, and it’ll fall into place.”
There are treasures in this life much greater than seeing your name in lights or millions in the bank, and they all begin with putting your trust and faith in the things of God.
It is certainly impactful to hear this coming from someone with all the success in the world, who has learned first-hand how much more a walk with Him has to offer.
