Anthony Hopkins, with more than sixty years in the acting profession, recently shared insights on his most remarkable on-screen collaborator. Discussing his extensive film career, Hopkins identified Peter O’Toole as the best acting partner he ever encountered—a declaration that stands out given the impressive list of industry legends he has worked with. This revelation highlights the dynamic between Hopkins and O’Toole, especially for anyone interested in learning about Anthony Hopkins’ best acting partner.
Rubbing Shoulders with Cinema’s Elite
Since rising to fame in the late 1960s, Anthony Hopkins has worked alongside a veritable who’s who of Hollywood. Starting his journey as the understudy to Laurence Olivier, Hopkins was exposed to top-tier talent early on. Over the decades, his scene partners have included Katharine Hepburn, Daniel Day-Lewis, Jodie Foster, Brad Pitt, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Al Pacino, Sean Connery, Michael Caine, and Gene Hackman among others. These collaborations, each with decorated superstars and dramatic powerhouses, built a foundation for Hopkins’ versatile career.
The Unique Bond Between Hopkins and O’Toole
Despite his many collaborations, Hopkins felt that only Peter O’Toole truly stood out as his finest co-star. According to Hopkins, their similarities made them both fast friends and fierce adversaries. Both actors were known for their fondness of nightlife and a strong dislike for the trappings of Hollywood celebrity, a bond that often brought them into intense personal territory. Hopkins recounted to Playboy magazine:
“The most exciting and dangerous actor I’d ever worked with. We had some wild times together.”
—Anthony Hopkins, Two-time Academy Award Winner
Clashes Behind the Scenes
Their working relationship was marked by both professionalism on set and rowdiness off camera. Hopkins recalled moments of almost physical confrontation with O’Toole, brought on by alcohol-fueled disagreements. On one occasion, he said:
“O’Toole and I, both smashed, were ready to beat each other up,”
—Anthony Hopkins, Two-time Academy Award Winner
Their arguments went beyond personal differences, as O’Toole once targeted Hopkins’ Welsh heritage and interests in astrology, leading to especially sharp exchanges:
“He was mad. He drank as much as I did and probably more, and he had that kind of yearning zest for life. He hated the Welsh. He said, ‘You’re like that other Welsh bastard, Richard Burton. You’re a fucking misfit. Play the piano and all that stuff, and you’re a stargazer.’”
—Anthony Hopkins, Two-time Academy Award Winner
When Friendship Nearly Turned to Fighting
Hopkins admitted that these high-spirited clashes sometimes brought him to the brink of fighting O’Toole outside the restaurant where they were dining. Although it never turned physical, the mutual antagonism highlighted the intensity of their relationship. Hopkins reflected on the moment with characteristic bluntness:
“I was going to deck him. I didn’t care.”
—Anthony Hopkins, Two-time Academy Award Winner
The Enduring Impact of a Singular Collaboration
The partnership between Hopkins and O’Toole was shaped by their shared hard-living habits, their disdain for the fuss of stardom, and a willingness to challenge each other directly. The experience of working with O’Toole left a lasting impression on Anthony Hopkins—an experience he has not been able to equal with any other actor, despite a career filled with superstars and dramatic heavyweights. Their unique bond, forged through both conflict and camaraderie, continues to stand out as a defining chapter in Hopkins’ celebrated life in cinema.
