Anthony Hopkins celebrates 49 years of sobriety: 'One day at a time'

Anthony Hopkins is commemorating a major milestone in his sobriety journey.

The two-time Oscar-winning actor, 86, celebrated 49 years of being sober — and his “unexpectedly long life” — in a poignant Instagram video on Sunday.

“Good morning! Happy 29th of December. 29th? Why 29th? Well, 49 years ago today, I stopped [drinking],” Hopkins explained, making a hand gesture for drinking. “I was having such fun, but then I realized I was in big, big trouble because I couldn’t remember anything and I was driving a car, drunk out of my skull.”

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It was that moment Hopkins realized that he needed to seek help. “I phoned up a group of people like me — alcoholic — and that was it. Sober,” he said. “I’ve had more fun in these 49 years than ever.”

The Silence of the Lambs star then used his social media platform to encourage others who may be dealing with similar struggles with addiction to reach out for assistance.

Related: Those About to Die star Jojo Macari recalls Anthony Hopkins' acting advice: 'Say it really bloody loudly'

“If you do have a problem — having fun is wonderful, having a drink is fine – but if you are having a problem with the booze, there is help,” Hopkins said. “It’s not a terrible deal. It’s a condition. If you’re allergic to alcohol, get some help. There’s plenty of help around. One thing I didn’t realize: I was not unique. There are thousands of people around like me.” 

He continued, “Anyway, I got sober and, it sounds a dull word, but I’ve had a wonderful life. They still employ me, they still give me jobs. I’m going to be 87 in two day’s time. So I’m celebrating my long life — unexpectedly long life.”

Hopkins closed out his message by imploring others to “phone any intergroup” or “12-step program” to get the help they need, calling alcoholism a “killer.” Blowing a kiss to the camera, he concluded, “With that, Happy New Year!” 

He captioned the video, “One day at a time. 49 years. Life is in session.”

Related: Anthony Hopkins on One Life's inspiring story, his regrets, and finding a new audience on TikTok

This isn’t the first time that Hopkins has taken to social media to reflect on his sobriety journey and encourage others to make a change in their lives ahead of the New Year. He has previously published videos on Dec. 29 in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Speaking with The New York Times in 2020, Hopkins revealed that he chose to get sober in 1975 after waking up in an Arizona hotel room with no recollection of how he’d gotten there. “I thought, ‘Well, I’ve got to stop this because I’m either going to kill somebody or myself,’” he told the outlet. “My life, from that moment on, took on new meaning.”

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