Did Anthony Hopkins really have to be a serial killer to be in 'Silence of the Lambs?,' I don't think so, no. It's called acting, people.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
It's no accident that Tony Hopkins is a wonderful film actor.
I think acting is all about the other people. Sounds like a worthy thing to say, but it's true.
I think one of the things that was a huge surprise to everyone with 'Silence of the Lambs' was that that was an Oscar-winning horror movie. It struck such a nerve with audiences that it was a very particular, special experience.
Acting is not about being famous, it's about exploring the human soul.
There are many actors who, whatever they do, they pretty much play themselves.
There's a great tradition of actors taking on parts of much less obvious sympathy.
A film actor is just a victim of directors and editors.
Anthony Hopkins says you just keep acting. Do it all the time and eventually it will happen. He got his break, after all, by taking a role nobody else wanted. A cannibal!
All the theories that acting is reacting to imaginary circumstances as though they are real, and directing is turning psychology into behavior, those are all stabs at something that can't be taught. All the great actors can't talk about what they do, and they don't want to begin to talk about it. They just do it.
Most of the time, actors respond to the thing that's so far from who they are. We all want to play the serial killer and the ex-con.