Anthony Hopkins Recalls Terrifying Sobriety Kickstarter Ahead Of 50th Anniversary: 'I Came To My Senses'

Anthony Hopkins got a very jarring epiphany that reshaped his life choices!

The iconic actor's decision to opt for a cleaner, healthier lifestyle did not happen by accident (luckily for him, he escaped), but the lesson left a lasting, positive impact.

Anthony Hopkins' revelation comes as he looks forward to his 50th year of staying completely alcohol free and spreading inspiration to people on how to fight their way out of addiction.

The award-winning actor opened up during a podcast session with The New York Times, "The Interview," that he decided to change his life for good after nearly getting into an accident. In his words:

"I was drunk and driving my car here in California in a blackout, no clue where I was going, when I realized that I could have killed somebody. Or myself, which I didn't care about."

He bemoaned how he could have endangered innocent families that fateful night, feeling nearly no remorse, when something clicked. Hopkins realized that very moment, he was so far gone and approached a former agent for help.

A voice inside him also supported his new lifestyle, encouraging him to pursue a path of redemption and to start living the right way. These days, the actor could not help but see his existence as a miracle, stating:

"There are monstrous difficulties in life. But finally, approaching 88, I wake up in the morning, going, 'I'm still here. How?'"

Last year, during his 49th sobriety anniversary, Hopkins revealed that it really took a village for him to get help. As reported by The Blast, Hopkins stated that he reached out to a group of people who suffered the same fate as him, and together they began their healing journey.

"If you do have a problem, having fun is wonderful, having a drink is fine. But if you are having a problem with booze, there is help," the media personality emphasized.

He reassured people struggling with the condition that it is not as terrible as often imagined, and it only becomes a problem when one becomes allergic to alcohol.

However, there is still a lot of help available to walk around that. Most importantly, Hopkins emphasized that no condition is unique, as there are thousands of people in his shoes.

50 years is undoubtedly a long time coming for the actor! In the middle of the pandemic, he achieved an impressive milestone of 45 years of staying off alcohol.

As always, he hopped on social media to detail how his journey to sobriety began and how immensely he has benefited from that heroic decision. He recalled that he was almost drinking himself to death till he encountered a crucial crossroad where he had to choose between living and fading away into oblivion.

As always, Hopkins rounded out his message with a vibrant call to hope for young folks, reminding them that there is always a way out of the misery of alcoholism.

Before meeting the love of her life, Stewart and Hopkins were Hollywood's hottest couple, but things went south after his award-winning role as "Hannibal Lecter in "The Silence of the Lambs."

The Blast reported that Stewart hilariously confessed she ended things with the actor because she could not get past the gory actions of his character in the movie.

She added that her big, scary house in a Maine forest further complicated the relationship because she could not imagine taking Hopkins to the property, out of fear of getting eaten by him.

"Do you want someone eating your brain while you are sitting in your beautiful dining room?" Stewart declared in the interview, before noting that she would have had an incredible relationship with the actor, but that ship has sailed since the 90s.

The Oscar-winning actor and his wife, Stella Arroyave, have been together for about 20 years after they tied the knot in 2003. The duo first met at an antique store where she worked, and it was love at first sight. 

As shared by PEOPLE, Hopkins recalled that Arroyave made their meeting very interesting by dancing over to meet him instead of walking, which remains a core part of his memory. The encounter changed his perspective on marriage, as he had previously thought he could not commit to anyone.

Upon marrying her sweetheart, Arroyave pivoted into the entertainment industry by producing and starring in a film Hopkins wrote, "Slipstream." She also starred in another role alongside her husband, titled "The Human Stain."

"When I married Tony, I produced the film 'Slipstream.' I always wanted to produce, direct, and write. It was something I nurtured, studied," Arroyave confessed in 2021 during an interview with Variety.

To many more years of Anthony Hopkins remaining a shining light for people battling alcoholism!