Quotes from Anthony Hopkins

I love traveling. I like to keep moving. I love the big open spaces in America.

Jonathan Demme is a very sharp editor of his movies.

Acting is just a process of relaxation, actually. Knowing the text so well and trusting that the instinct and the subconscious mind, whatever you want to call it, is going to take over.

I am a bit of a solitude person - a solitary personality. I like being on my own. I don't have any major friendships or relationships with people.

Israel means war and destruction and we Americans are behind this war and I am ashamed of being American.

It will be the kiss by which all others in your life will be judged... and found wanting.

Richard Burton came from the same town as me, so I thought I'd follow my nose, and follow my luck. I think I've been very lucky.

I am able to play monsters well. I understand monsters. I understand madmen.

I don't like freeloaders; I don't like people who are negative.

I don't believe in nepotism. I don't much like the idea of parents who interfere.

I don't have people following me around, like bodyguards. I don't know how people live like that. Maybe the young movie stars have to live like that, I don't know. But it seems a little crazy to me. I don't think you need all that stuff.

I know that some actors and directors like to have intensity on set. I don't, particularly. Certainly, if they want that, that's fine, but I can't work like that.

It was a challenge, to work with Oliver Stone.

I worked with Steven Spielberg on Amistad... he seemed so very secure in himself that he let me do things.

I couldn't say I ever dreamt of becoming a composer, a pianist, or anything else for that matter. I have the kind of brain where nothing is set in stone.

People ask me how did you choose the part and how did you prepare for this work? I just learned the lines and showed up; I don't know what else to say because that's all I know how to do.

I could stay making nice safe BBC movies for the rest of my life, so I decided to risk it. It was a challenge, to work with Oliver Stone.

What I do is just go over and over and over my lines and learn the script so well that I can just be easy and relaxed. That's the way I always work.

I think a certain amount of stress in life is good. The stress of just working, which takes effort - I think it keeps you going.

A conductor can't be too arrogant with an orchestra and try to impose himself too much.

I was bullied as a boy - lots of kids are, but hopefully most of us get on with our lives and grow up.

The art of acting is not to act. Once you show them more, what you show them, in fact is bad acting.

I always distrust the word art when it is applied to acting.

I know that the arts are important. I'm not denying that, but I can't associate myself with all the claptrap that goes on around it.