Anthony Hopkins: The Movieline Interview

So does your character. In fact, he seems worried that his pace is too slow for his younger lover.

He gets to a stage in his life where he decides, "I'll just let life go on and stop getting so concerned about it. It's no big deal." That was easy to play.

Since you made this film, you've also worked with Woody Allen and Kenneth Branagh. Were those relaxed experiences, too?

Yes, because they're so grounded in their craft. It's such a pleasant surprise when you come on set and you find someone in charge like Ken Branagh or James Ivory. You know that you're going to do a day's work and at the end of it, it's going to be good. You feel a sense of fulfillment, I suppose. Woody Allen is very much like James Ivory. He'll say, "OK, um, let's do another shot, um. That's fine, let's just move on." It's nothing. It's no big deal, there's no celebrity.

Woody Allen has kept the details of your film so close to the vest, and not much has been released other than the cast and the title. Can you tell me who you play in it?

I play...[pause] you know, I don't think I'm supposed to talk about the film yet. I've been told not to do any publicity for the Woody Allen film yet because I'm supposed to go to Cannes for it. What's the film called, the Woody Allen one?

You Will Meet a Tall, Dark Stranger.

Oh yeah, yeah. Well, he was great to work with, and it was a great cast to work with.

Recently, you disputed a report about trouble on the Thor set. There were allegations made that you and the lead actor Chris Hemsworth weren't getting along. Would you like to clear that up?

I would love to clear it up, and the studio's clearing it up. The rumors are scurrilous and total rubbish; I've been having a great time on [Thor], and they're just all wonderful actors. I do want to talk about this, because I've talked to my lawyer about it and I think the studio is doing some investigation into it, but that's what newspapers do. It's the business of journalism to lie -- sometimes, not always. They distort and make mischief. I've been around the block many times, so I get used to it.

I'll try to quote you as accurately as possible.

I hope you will, because [Thor] is one of the best experiences I've had in a while. I think I've got one more day on it now. Actually, these three films, Thor, the Woody Allen, and [City of Your Final Destination], which I'm really looking forward to seeing now, these are the best films I've been in for many years. It's because of the directors, James Ivory, Woody Allen, and Ken Branagh. They're really the most assured and strong directors I've worked with in many years, and they made life very easy on the set. When I hear that nonsense that's a total fabrication and a lie...I tell you, I've had a great time working on all these films. I'm just looking forward to seeing the James Ivory film. I haven't seen James in about a year, but I did call him up to congratulate him on the success of the movie. I hear it's a good one.

Anthony, you should have them send you a screener. They did that for me, and I'm not even in it!

[Laughs] Yes, I think so! Maybe I should get a screener.

[Lead Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images]

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