Anthony Hopkins Celebrates 45 Years of Sobriety and Shares Inspiring Message: 'Just Keep Fighting'
anthony hopkins/instagram Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins is celebrating 45 years of sobriety with an encouraging message to younger generations.
Sharing a video message on Instagram Tuesday, the Oscar-winning actor reflected on the difficulties of the past year and on the "wake-up call" he had nearly half a century ago.
"Hello everyone. Good morning. Well, new year is coming. It's been a tough year, full of grief and sadness for many, many, many people. But 45 years ago today, I had a wake-up call," the Westworld star said, adding that at the time, he was "heading for disaster."
"Drinking myself to death," he said. "I'm not preaching, but I got a message, a little thought that said, 'Do you want to live or die?' and I said, 'I want to live.' And suddenly the relief came, and my life has been amazing, and I may have off days and little bits of doubt, and all that, but all in all, I say hang in there."
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"Today is the tomorrow you were so worried about yesterday," he continued, going on to tell "young people" not to "give up."
"Just keep in there, just keep fighting. Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid," Hopkins said. "That's sustained me through my life. And that's all I've got to say, and happy new year. This is going to be the best year. Thank you."
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Hopkins, who will ring in his 83rd birthday on New Year's Eve, has previously opened up about his struggle with alcoholism, saying in 2018 that religion helped him get sober.
Greg Doherty/Getty Anthony Hopkins
“I believe that we are capable of so much,” he star said during a speech for the LEAP Foundation. “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," the Welsh actor added at the time. "None of it was a mistake. It was all a destiny.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
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