Sir Anthony Hopkins, 88, has left fans baffled after celebrating England's victory in the Men's World Cup while looking utterly unrecognisable. The Welsh-born actor, known for his iconic role as Hannibal Lecter, appeared much leaner and sported a beard as he hugged his wife Stella Arroyave, 70, who wore a green Mexico shirt and cap.
Social Media Reaction
In a post captioned 'We're all winners… #WorldCup2026', Hopkins shared the image after England defeated one of the host nations 3-2. Fans were quick to comment on his changed appearance and accused him of being a 'turncoat' for supporting England despite being Welsh. Susi commented, 'What are you doing????? You are Welsh 😭,' while Declan Mulligan wrote, 'Thought you were a proud Welsh man.' Lauren added, 'Babes ur welsh x.'
With Scotland out and Wales failing to qualify, Hopkins likely opted to support the nearest home nation. His wife, Stella, was born in Colombia, another competing nation, which beat Ghana on Friday and faced Switzerland on Tuesday, July 7.
Hopkins' Sobriety and Career
The actor, who has been sober for over 50 years after a drink-driving incident in 1975, did not share details of any celebrations involving alcohol. He previously stated in a video that he has had 'more fun' since quitting drinking 'than ever.'
Hopkins began his career on stage with Laurence Olivier and has starred in films such as A Bridge Too Far (1977) and The Elephant Man (1980). His role as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs (1991) earned him two Academy Awards: Best Actor and Best Picture. In 2020, he became the oldest actor to win Best Actor for The Father.
Online Presence and Future Projects
Speaking about his online popularity, Hopkins told People: 'I'm slightly reluctant. I say, “Oh no, not again.” But I do something silly because we need humour. We need a laugh in life. For good reason I guess, life is tough. The world is a savage place but life does have its beauty.'
He often shares positive content, such as returning to Wales for Christmas or playing piano. Despite his age, Hopkins remains active with seven films listed on IMDb as upcoming or in post-production, including a biopic on the Maserati family starring Al Pacino.
