Anthony Hopkins, the 87-year-old actor known for his iconic role in The Silence of the Lambs, has spoken about his complicated relationship with his estranged daughter, Abigail. In a recent interview, he revealed that he had sent an invitation for her to visit, but received no response.
“My wife, Stella, sent an invitation to come and see us,” Hopkins shared. “Not a word of response. So I think, OK, fine. I wish her well, but I’m not going to waste blood over that.”
The actor emphasized that holding onto resentment is not a path to happiness. “If you want to waste your life being in resentment, fine, go ahead. It’s not in my ken,” he said. “I could carry resentment over the past, but that’s death. You’re not living.”
A Complicated Family History
Hopkins and Abigail share a complex history. The two were born from his first marriage to Petronella Barker, which lasted from 1966 to 1972. During this time, Hopkins reportedly left his daughter when she was just a toddler, leading to a long period of separation.
Despite this, there was a brief reconciliation in the 1990s, when Abigail appeared in some of his films, including Shadowlands and The Remains of the Day. However, the relationship eventually drifted apart again.
Moving On From the Past
In a candid reflection, Hopkins spoke about the importance of letting go. “You have to acknowledge one thing: that we are imperfect. We’re not saints. We’re all sinners and saints or whatever we are. We do the best we can. Life is painful,” he explained.
“Sometimes people get hurt. Sometimes we get hurt. But you can’t live like that. You have to say, Get over it. And if you can’t get over it, fine, good luck to you. I have no judgment. But I did what I could. So that’s it. That’s all I want to say.”
A Rare Bond
Abigail, now 57, has spoken about their sparse relationship in the past. In a 2006 interview, she mentioned that she would see her father “maybe once a year.”
“There is a little bit of sadness, but I have to get on with my life. It has always been like that. See him, and then not,” she told The Telegraph at the time.
No Clue About Grandchildren
More than a decade later, Hopkins reflected on his distant relationship with his only child, admitting that he had “no idea” whether he had grandchildren.
“I don’t have any idea. People break up,” he told Radio Times in 2018. “Families split and, you know, ‘Get on with your life.’ People make choices. I don’t care one way or the other.”
