Anthony Hopkins is a titan of the acting world who scares and delights audiences in equal measure. Although he is best known for playing villains, he is actually a gentle musician and painter in real life. Furthermore, his career has spanned decades, earning him the highest honors in the industry. Consequently, his personal journey offers as many surprises as his movie roles. Explore these fascinating details about the man behind the mask.
Anthony Hopkins
He won an Oscar for only sixteen minutes of screen time. In the movie The Silence of the Lambs, he appears on camera for a very short portion of the film. Nevertheless, his terrifying performance was so impactful that he won the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Surprisingly, Anthony Hopkins composed a waltz that became a global hit. He wrote the piece of music called “And The Waltz Goes On” when he was a young man, but he was too shy to release it. Eventually, he sent it to the famous violinist André Rieu, who performed it for a massive audience in Vienna.
He famously improvised the creepy hissing noise in The Silence of the Lambs. During the scene where he mentions eating liver and fava beans, he spontaneously made the slurping sound to disturb his co-star, Jodie Foster. Instantly, the director loved the unscripted moment and decided to keep it in the final cut.
Passionately, he wrote a fan letter to the cast of Breaking Bad. After he watched the entire series in two weeks, he felt compelled to email Bryan Cranston. Specifically, he told the actor that his performance as Walter White was the best acting he had ever seen.
Unfortunately, he struggled in school due to undiagnosed dyslexia. As a child, he felt isolated because he could not keep up with his classmates academically. Therefore, he turned to painting and playing the piano as a way to express his emotions.
Deliberately, he chose not to blink his eyes while playing Hannibal Lecter. He wanted the character to look reptilian and absolutely focused on his prey. Consequently, this intense, unblinking stare became one of the most iconic traits of the villain.
Anthony Hopkins is the oldest person to ever win a Best Actor Oscar. Recently, he took home the trophy for his role in The Father at the age of 83. Thus, he broke the previous age record held by the late Christopher Plummer.
Officially, Queen Elizabeth II knighted him for his services to the arts. He received the high honor at Buckingham Palace in 1993. Hence, you can formally address him as Sir Anthony Hopkins.
Obsessively, he reads his script aloud over 200 times before filming begins. He believes in over-preparing so that the lines become a natural reflex for him. As a result, he can recite complex dialogue effortlessly while performing difficult actions.
Originally, he wanted to be a concert pianist rather than an actor. Although he eventually chose drama school, he never lost his love for the piano. Frequently, he posts videos on social media where he plays beautiful classical music in his home.
Late in life, doctors diagnosed him with Asperger’s Syndrome. Interestingly, he views this condition as an advantage for his acting career. He claims it helps him deconstruct characters and analyze their behavior more deeply than other actors.
He has been sober for nearly fifty years. Previously, he battled a severe addiction to alcohol that threatened to ruin his life and career. However, he quit drinking in 1975 and often speaks openly about his recovery to inspire others.
Creatively, he is an accomplished painter with his own art studio. He describes his painting style as wild and free, using bright colors and chaotic strokes. Furthermore, his original artwork is quite valuable and hangs in galleries around the world.
Adorably, he often plays the piano for his cat, Niblo. The actor posts heartwarming clips of himself holding the cat while he plays gentle melodies. In fact, these videos have made him a viral sensation on TikTok and Instagram.
Finally, Anthony Hopkins played Odin in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He enjoyed the role of the Norse god because it required very little acting effort. Playfully, he joked that he just had to put on the beard and the armor to look commanding.
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Released in 2011, the French film The Intouchables (Intouchables) took the global box office by storm, warming the hearts of millions with its irreverent humor and profoundly touching narrative. Based on a true story, the film explores the unlikely friendship between a wealthy quadriplegic aristocrat and his young, unconventional caregiver from the Parisian housing projects. While the chemistry between François Cluzet and Omar Sy feels utterly effortless on screen, the behind-the-scenes reality of the film's production is just as captivating as the movie itself. Here are 15 lesser-known facts about this modern cinematic masterpiece.
The Intouchables
1. The Real-Life Inspiration’s One Demand
Before giving the directors his blessing to adapt his life story, the real Philippe Pozzo di Borgo had one strict, non-negotiable demand: the movie had to be a comedy. Having lived through unimaginable tragedy following a paragliding accident and the death of his wife, he was adamant that he did not want a movie that would make audiences pity him, insisting that his relationship with his caregiver was built on relentless humor and pranks.
2. Driss’s Origins Were Changed for the Film
In the movie, the energetic caregiver Driss is of Senegalese descent, brought to life brilliantly by Omar Sy. However, the real-life caregiver, Abdel Sellou, is actually of Algerian descent. The directors specifically changed the character’s background because they had worked with Sy on a previous project, knew his immense comedic talent, and explicitly wrote the part of Driss with him in mind.
3. Omar Sy Beat Out an Oscar Winner
The film launched Omar Sy into international superstardom, and his performance earned him the César Award for Best Actor (the French equivalent of the Academy Award). What makes this win so spectacular is that he actually beat out Jean Dujardin for the award in the exact same year that Dujardin won the American Oscar for Best Actor for his role in The Artist.
4. A Record-Breaking Global Box Office
The Intouchables was not just a hit in France; it was an absolute global phenomenon. For a significant period of time, it held the record as the highest-grossing non-English language film in cinematic history. It generated over $400 million worldwide, easily surpassing the previous record holder, Hayao Miyazaki’s animated masterpiece Spirited Away.
5. Acting From the Neck Up
To prepare for the physically restrictive role of Philippe, veteran French actor François Cluzet spent extensive time observing the real Philippe Pozzo di Borgo. Cluzet had to learn how to completely suppress his natural body language, training himself to act entirely through his breathing, eye movements, and vocal inflections since he could not use his hands or torso to convey any emotion.
6. The Real Men Appear at the End
The movie ends with a beautiful, poignant tribute to the real men who inspired the story. Just before the final credits roll, the real Philippe Pozzo di Borgo and Abdel Sellou make a brief, silent cameo appearance, sitting together on a hillside. This beautiful inclusion grounded the hilarious movie back in its profound, real-world roots.
7. The Meaning Behind the Title
The title Intouchables translates to “Untouchables,” but it is rarely explained in the film itself. It is a dual reference to the Indian caste system, symbolizing how both men are outcasts from mainstream French society. Philippe is “untouchable” due to his severe physical disability and extreme wealth isolating him, while Driss is “untouchable” due to his extreme poverty, racial minority status, and criminal record.
8. The Shaving Scene Was Completely Improvised
One of the most hilarious and memorable scenes in the film involves Driss shaving Philippe’s beard into various historical and bizarre styles, ending with a Charlie Chaplin/Adolf Hitler mustache. This sequence was not in the original script. François Cluzet and Omar Sy completely improvised the entire interaction on set, and their genuine, uncontrollable laughter made the final cut.
9. Driss’s Dancing Was Also Unscripted
Omar Sy’s legendary dance sequence to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Boogie Wonderland” during Philippe’s stuffy birthday party is a cinematic highlight. The directors simply played the music on set and told Sy to let loose. The joyous, infectious dance moves were entirely his own creation in the moment, perfectly capturing his character’s unbridled love for life.
10. A Staggering Number of International Remakes
The universal themes of the film resonated so deeply across different cultures that it spawned numerous international remakes. The most famous is the American version, The Upside (2017), starring Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart. However, it was also officially remade in India (as the Telugu/Tamil film Oopiri), and in Argentina (as Inseparables).
11. The Real Abdel Actually Sold Art
In the film, Driss paints a chaotic, abstract canvas that Philippe manages to sell to a pretentious art collector for a massive sum of money as a prank. Surprisingly, this is based on a true anecdote. The real Abdel Sellou did indeed paint a canvas that Philippe managed to sell, though the real-life Abdel later admitted he felt a bit guilty about scamming the buyer.
12. A Slower Maserati for the Cameras
The exhilarating opening sequence features Driss driving Philippe at breakneck speeds through the streets of Paris in a Maserati Quattroporte. While the scene looks incredibly fast, the production team actually had to digitally speed up the footage in post-production because the real car could not be driven at those highly dangerous speeds through the narrow city streets during filming.
13. Over Five Percent of France Saw It In Theaters
The cultural impact of the film in its native country is hard to overstate. Just weeks after its release, it was estimated that an astonishing 5% of the entire population of France had gone to the cinema to see it. It eventually sold over 19 million tickets domestically, making it the second most successful French film of all time in France, just behind Welcome to the Sticks.
14. The Missing Fabergé Egg Was Real
A crucial plot point involves Driss stealing a highly valuable Fabergé egg during his initial job interview, which Philippe later demands he return. This detail was pulled directly from real life. The real Abdel Sellou admitted to stealing a precious Fabergé egg from Philippe’s estate because he assumed he would never see the wealthy man again after his interview.
15. Real-Life Neighbors Who Remained Close
Unlike the movie, which heavily dramatizes their parting of ways, the real Philippe and Abdel remained incredibly close friends for decades after Abdel stopped working as his full-time caregiver. When Philippe relocated to Morocco, Abdel also eventually bought a house nearby, ensuring that the two men and their respective families could continue to spend time together.
Amy Poehler is an acclaimed actress and comedian, beloved for her work on SNL and as Leslie Knope on “Parks and Recreation.” Her warm humor and groundbreaking achievements have made her a standout figure in comedy today.
Amy Poehler
Amy Poehler co-founded the Upright Citizens Brigade, a comedy troupe that launched many famous comedians.
At Boston College, Poehler was president of the improv troupe, honing her live performance skills early on.
She became the first woman to co-anchor SNL’s “Weekend Update” alongside Tina Fey, breaking new ground in live comedy.
Poehler’s character Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation was partly inspired by her own optimistic, relentless spirit.
She collaborated with Tina Fey to co-host Saturday Night Live in 2016, winning an Emmy for their electric performances.
Amy Poehler voices Joy in the hit Pixar film Inside Out, a role that showcases her ability to convey complex emotions through humor.
She co-created the animated series The Mighty B!, inspired by a character she played in improv comedy.
Through Smart Girls at the Party, Poehler champions young women to embrace curiosity, kindness, and creativity online.
She published a bestselling memoir, Yes Please, sharing candid life stories with humor and insight.
Amy Poehler won a Gracie Award for her exceptional portrayal of female characters in comedy.
Amy practiced improv rigorously while working with established comedy groups like The Second City in Chicago.
She has also produced acclaimed shows such as Broad City, helping shape comedy from behind the scenes.
Despite her TV success, Poehler’s heartfelt community work includes advocating mental health and youth empowerment.
She earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015, recognizing her significant contributions to television.
Beyond comedy, Amy Poehler has dabbled in directing and writing, exploring creative storytelling in various formats.
