It’s just one look into those ice blue eyes, piercing you like a dagger. One stealthy turn of his now bald head, a smile like the crack of a whip and you instantly know you’re looking at none other than Anthony Hopkins.

He is part of a generation of actors as firm and serious as their steely gazes. Men like Sean Connery and Jack Nicholson, actors who can deliver stellar performances with unmatched grace and an air of professionalism. A man preceded only by the characters he has played, decades of roles that have created an unbreakable career. Immediately recognizable in his Oscar-winning role as one of the most maniacal and mentally perverse villains Hollywood has ever known, Hannibal Lecter, a role he reprized twice more in the 2001 film “Hannibal” and 2002’s “Red Dragon.” In 1984, Hopkins showed his remarkable flexibility to take on any role when he portrayed an entirely different type of criminal. None other than Adolf Hitler in the film “The Bunker,” a gripping look at Hitler’s final days on earth as the end of World War II loomed on the horizon (for which Hopkins received an Emmy nomination).

Taking on controversial roles like a fish to water, Hopkins is easily identifiable as the man who played Richard Bruno Hauptmann in “The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case” and William Bligh in “The Bounty.” He is the face many moviegoers associate with film versions of John Quincy Adams, Othello, and even US President Richard M. Nixon.

Off-screen, Hopkins has walked down the aisle three times and is tied up with a number of other women, like many of Hollywood’s leading gentlemen. With an almost improbable number of roles to his credit (over a hundred and counting), forays into film directing and composition, as well as an upcoming role as executive producer of the 2005 film “Bobby,” which will look at the murder of 1968. by Senator Robert Kennedy. Like many in the spotlight of fame, she is involved with various philanthropic causes, though unlike many who simply write checks, the causes Hopkins supports are often directly related to her own life. It is evident in the work he does for numerous charities both in his childhood land, the UK, and in his present-day homeland of America (he became a naturalized US citizen in 2000). In Wales, where Anthony was born, he has donated more than £1 million to Snowdonia National Park. Hopkins also regularly contributes her time and honed skills to teach the craft to young actors at the Ruskins School of Acting in Santa Monica, California.

Anthony Hopkins has made an unforgettable career made up of tough characters, British personalities, wise men and troubled souls. Yet beneath the gruff and sometimes reclusive manner, undeniable wit and impersonating charm that only a Welshman can offer, Hopkins is a man who, like many of the roles he has played, has led a life of struggle. personal, a journey to overcome his demons, and perhaps a desire to be known for more than just his amazing acting skills.