Hyvin sinä pärjäsit

by Anthony Hopkins

Näyttämöiden ja valkokankaiden supertähti kertoo uskomattoman tarinansa.

Oscar-palkittu näyttelijä sir Anthony Hopkins kuvaa muistelmateoksessaan huikeaa, yli kuusikymmentä vuotta kestänyttä elokuva- ja teatteriuraansa, vaikeaa lapsuuttaan sekä tietään raittiuteen.

Sir Anthony Hopkins syntyi Port Talbotissa, pienessä walesilaisessa terästeollisuuskaupungissa, ja varttui siellä sodan, laman sekä kovien, tunteellisesti sulkeutuneiden ja alkoholismiin taipuvaisten miesten keskellä. Hopkins ei pärjännyt koulussa kummoisesti, joten monet pitivät häntä toivottomana tapauksena, jolla ei ollut tulevaisuutta. Mutta eräänä kohtalokkaana lauantai-iltana väheksytty walesilaispoika katsoi Hamlet-sovituksen vuodelta 1948, mikä synnytti hänessä näyttelemisen halun, jonka seurauksia kukaan ei olisi voinut ennustaa.

Hopkins kuvaa avoimesti uransa merkkipaaluja ja tarjoaa ainutlaatuisia näkökulmia tunnetuimpiin rooleihinsa, kuten Iago-tulkintaansa, jolla hän pääsi kuninkaalliseen teatteriakatemiaan Laurence Olivierin siipien suojaan, huikeaan Hannibal Lecterin rooliinsa ja unohtumattomaan tulkintaansa Kuningas Learista.

Hopkins tarkastelee rehellisesti myös henkilökohtaisen elämänsä alhoja. Riippuvuusongelma maksoi hänelle ensimmäisen avioliiton ja suhteen ainoaan lapseensa - ja melkein hengenkin. Raittiuteen hän on ollut sitoutunut melkein viidenkymmenen vuoden ajan, ja iän karttuessa hän tiedostaa myös kuolevaisuutensa ja valmistautuu kohtaamaan Suuren Salaisuuden, niin kuin hänen isänsä asiaa kutsui.

Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins CBE on Ison-Britannian tunnetuimpia ja tuotteliaimpia näyttelijöitä. Hän aloitti uransa näyttämöllä, työskenteli Laurence Olivierin alaisuudessa ja teki sittemmin koko joukon arvostettuja elokuvarooleja. Sir Hopkins on esiintynyt kuusikymmentävuotisella urallaan mm. elokuvissa Uhrilampaat, Pitkän päivän ilta, Marvelin Thor ja Isä. Sir Hopkins on saanut huikeista rooleistaan useita tunnustuksia, muiden muassa kaksi Oscaria, neljä BAFTA-palkintoa, kaksi Primetime Emmyä sekä Laurence Olivier -palkinnon. Hän asuu nykyään Stella-vaimonsa kanssa Los Angelesissa.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Audiobook, Biography Memoir, Autobiography, Art

340 pages, Hardcover

First published October 28, 2025

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage, and television, and a composer and painter. After graduating from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in 1957, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, and was then spotted by Laurence Olivier who invited him to join the Royal National Theater. In 1968, he got his break in film in The Lion in Winter, playing Richard I.
Considered to be one of the greatest living actors, Hopkins is well known for his portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, its sequel Hannibal, and the prequel Red Dragon. Other notable films include The Mask of Zorro, The Bounty, Meet Joe Black, The Elephant Man, Magic, 84 Charing Cross Road, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Legends of the Fall, Thor, The Remains of the Day, Amistad, Nixon, The World's Fastest Indian, Instinct, and Fracture.(-wiki)

Reviews

[Nina (ninjasbooks)]

always interesting to read about actors and their journey.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of an autobiography that is self reflective and insightful…. Not just telling the stories of someone’s life. Anthony Hopkins’ book is just that. He is raw, he’s honest and he weaves this through every chapter. Not only is he an amazing actor, but he’s an engaging and entertaining storyteller, and this book is a masterpiece that will live on forever. 5 solid stars!

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐ — thoughtful, but holds back where it matters

I went into this memoir by Anthony Hopkins pretty much blind, and it ended up being a surprisingly engaging listen. We Did OK, Kid follows his journey from a lonely, struggling kid in Wales to becoming one of the most respected actors of his generation (yes, including *The Silence of the Lambs*, which I still refuse to watch 😅).

It’s very reflective—lots about anxiety, aging, and finding purpose later in life. The writing is smooth and there are some genuinely great quotes.

That said, it feels a bit… selective. I wanted more honesty in certain areas. Still, a solid, easy memoir if you’re in the mood for something introspective but not too heavy.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always admired Anthony Hopkins and his work. This memoir offered a wonderful glimpse into the man behind the spotlight. Throughout the book, Hopkins reflected on the roles he embraced and made his own, both on the screen and the stage. He elevated each character with the details that made them believable and memorable and that in turn made Hopkins himself impossible to forget.

I completely enjoyed the parts where he opens up about his family, his early experiences in acting, his journey to stardom, his alcoholism, and his other struggles. His success never felt like a matter of being in the right place at the right time. He clearly had the talent, discipline, and the presence to support every opportunity that came his way. He still remembered a lot of his lines from early on....and took every opportunity to share them with the reader. That wasn't always my favorite, but I have to say, I loved his tenacity.

Overall, this memoir was a heartfelt and engaging look at an extraordinary career and the person behind it. So 5 stars.

[Aya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Невероятният и истински Антъни Хопкинс. Не е нужно да казвам нищо повече.

[Mediaman · Rating 2 out of 5]

A long slog through the life of an actor whose mindset is that of a very insecure rebel. It's a pretty unsatisfying read, especially if you're hoping to hear much about his movie work. There's a short chapter on Silence of the Lambs, but little about most other films and some of his best-known screen work isn't even mentioned. Seriously?

You may enjoy this if you admire a lot of introspection, poetic views of existence, his turning alcoholism into a life of sobriety, or hearing too much about his theater work. I admire Hopkins for facing head-on his faults and weaknesses, though he also skips over some major flaws (he mentions cheating on his wife with many women in just one sentence and his reputation for being a scary hothead on movie sets is barely acknowledged).

His single-sentence aside that his grandfather fed him beer regularly as a child is probably one of the most important things in the book, considering the mean alcoholic he became, but the author fails to hone in on that.

Meanwhile he goes off on tangents about stars he watched at the movie theater and quotes from other performers but it all has nothing to do with his actual life. Why is he including multi-paragraph Wikipedia style entries about American film actors, some of whom he tells more about than himself?! The oddest inclusion is a halfhearted message to his estranged daughter, who he abandoned when she was a child and he has failed to do much to show her his love.

In the hands of a better co-writer this could have been a worthy memoir. By the tenth time he's repeating his depressive "whoa-is-me" commentary it gets old, especially after he's rich and famous! And while he skips over many major events and films, in almost every aspect of his life he includes simplistic narrative on unimportant things like answering a door, answering a phone, the name of the pub where he had a drink and where he sat, what he ate at a restaurant, etc.

It feels like the book was rushed to publication while he's still alive (even a quick note added about his 2025 house fire a few months before publication) and it needed a sweeping edit that would cut out at least fifty pages. He could also dump the thirty pages of poetry that he includes at the end. It feels like one of those rambling four-hour theatrical productions that seems interesting at first, has some good spots, but would have been better cut almost in half.

I understand the title, since Hopkins internally still considers himself that little boy from Wales who was told he'd amount to nothing, but it also reflects that he wrote a memoir that is just "ok."

[Lorin (paperbackbish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will not be okay when this man leaves us.

[Alexandru Gogoașă · Rating 5 out of 5]

remarcabilă!
nu este de ignorat. recomand!

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting. An interesting life to read about!
I really appreciated his reflections on alcoholism and on his (“failed”) relationship to his daughter. I also found it so interesting that he stayed very close with his own parents throughout his life. Given his fame and age, it was just really interesting to hear so much about his relations with his parents. Not all famous people’s autobiographies would spend this much time reflecting on their relationships with their parents. He is especially eloquent/loving in describing his father and the men of his father’s generation.

He makes passing reference to his infidelities during his 2nd marriage. That seemed odd to me, because he never said more about it before or after that. So I was surprised he mentioned the topic, if he wasn’t going to discuss it more.

At the end there is 45 minutes of him reading his favorite poems, which was just really interesting.

(Interestingly, in contrast to what I recently said about Bjorn Borg’s autobiography, Anthony Hopkins really, really makes it clear in this that he has wrestled with how he handled fatherhood and his relationship with his daughter. I think he said it’s his greatest remorse and greatest sadness (?), or something along those lines—and that he is also sure the choice he made, to leave her mother because their marriage was so dysfunctional, was the correct one. But the level of his remorse, and the admission of his own imperfection is so clear here. It’s exactly the degree of introspection that I thought seemed to be missing from Borg’s autobiography.)

[Maryam · Rating 4 out of 5]

“” Listen to the music; any music. Read; Read anything ; book or poem, whatever it is”

[Cathrine ☯️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 🎭 🎭 🎭 🎭 (5⚝⚝⚝⚝⚝ for narration)
At first I was disappointed to learn Sir Anthony did not narrate his memoir and the first 30% was a bit slow for me, but then the exceptional thespian skills of Sir Kenneth Branagh took hold and I was immersed. Hopkins later narrates some of his favorite poems in the appendix, but Branagh exudes not only the author's persona, but all the other characters portrayed.
Some of the rolls he played are represented, but this is more about personal recollections looking back after 88 years of life. We've lost many great actors recently and I will miss this man's talent when he is gone, but thankfully there is more planned to come.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and brutally honest retrospective by Hopkins on his life, relationships, sobriety, and career… I loved every moment of this book.

[Oskars Kaulēns · Rating 4 out of 5]

mēs visi uz šīs pasaules esam tikai viesi. uz īsu brīdi, uz neatgriezenisku palikšanu.

[Chrissie Whitley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure how likely it would've been that I'd have picked this up – and certainly right away — but when I saw an interview Hopkins gave to Stephen Colbert for The Late Show, I was immediately intrigued. His voice — his views — his approach to life was really interesting … and not really what you'd think. He's well-versed in Shakespeare … has had the kind of voice that makes people say "he could read me the phone book and I’d listen," but he has never really liked talking about would-be pretentious things like "craft" and "method" when it comes to acting.

His story — from early childhood in Wales and onward — was fascinating. He has exactly the thing you need in these celebrity memoirs — introspection and self-awareness … particularly the type of self-actualizing wisdom that comes from having lived for 8 decades, coming out on the other side of alcoholism, and finally coming to terms with the big regrets of his life.

I totally recommend the audiobook, which is performed by Kenneth Branagh — apart from an extended portion at the end with Anthony Hopkins — doing a little epilogue, I believe, and also he reads his favorite poems and such. That’s about an hour total from Hopkins himself. My one personal caveat is that Branagh’s Katharine Hepburn is utterly ridiculous, but his Laurence Olivier is perfection.

[Daniel Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anthony Hopkins is possibly on the spectrum of Asperger’s. Showing no interest in school, he flunked out. But he had a natural talent for memorization and delivery of Shakespeare speeches. He was awarded a scholarship to train at a prestigious school in Great Britain. He performed on stages in London and eventually moved into movies. He also played the piano well and had an interest in the arts. The biography is well delivered in the audiobook version and Hopkins reflects deeply and openly about his life and career.

[Book Hyperdrive · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have been a huge admirer of Sir Anthony Hopkins for many years. So many amazing memories from his work. There’s so much wisdom for everyone in this memoir, in all its stark rawness often, especially for those with a creative bend. I will treasure this book. Really really enjoyed reading it and came away richer for it.

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your typical film-by-film recounting of a career, this is much more the story of a troubled alcoholic (who ALSO just happens to be one of the greatest actors of our time) struggling to come to terms with his past and regain control of his future. And for that reason, is a much better book than your typical celebrity memoir. That said, it certainly contains its share of inside-the-industry gossip, ranging from what an apparent ass Paul Sorvino is, to the following (which IMHO is the best line in the book):

"It was great working with Alec and Bart the Bear, who was also in, among other movies, Legends of the Fall, The Bear, and White Fang. He could really act, that bear."

Two minor complaints with the book's production. I had waited a long time for the audiobook, only to finally get it and learn it was narrated by...Kenneth Branaugh?? I mean, I love Sir Ken (who doesn't?), but Anthony Hopkins has THE VOICE, and to hear his words coming from anyone else's mouth just seemed so wrong that I switched to the dead tree version and just heard Hopkins' voice in my head.

And second — what the hell is it with celebrity bios and their massive head shots these days? You’re famous — we KNOW what you look like!! Below is a recent display at our local B&N, and this book obviously continues this unfortunate trend:



But otherwise, just a fascinating and surprisingly insightful read.

DISCLAIMER: And okay, as noted in my recent review of Virginia Evans' wonderful The Correspondent, I do have a special, highly personal connection to Hopkins. From that review:

"Back in the mid-'90s, my father and I both wangled roles as extras in the film "The Road to Wellville" — one of Anthony Hopkins' few comedies — which was shot near our home in Upstate New York. Not long after, my dad had a major stroke, after which (and among so many other things) he fixated on the movie — asking when it would come out, revisiting our few days of standing in the background, wondering how he would watch it, etc. I ended up writing to Hopkins via his agent and explaining the situation, and asking if he might possibly send a brief note to my dad. Instead, he sent a beautiful long letter chatting about the film and his upcoming plans, recalling chats with my dad (probably non-existent, although he did enjoy talking to everyone — crew, extras, etc.), expressing his sympathy and wishing my dad a full recovery, even ultimately quoting MLK. That thoughtful gesture meant the world to my dad through his final days, and continues to mean the world to me — to this day, "Tony" (as he asked everyone to call him) can do no wrong."

So — endless thanks and love, Sir Tony. And miss you every day, Dad...

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating story of a successful life against all the odds - his parents despaired of what he would become and he was a loner at school and then an alcoholic and only really achieved his full potential late in life.
The description of SIlence of the Lambs alone is enough to make this worth reading but it is much more than that.
Only how morbid and preoccupied with death it became towards the end stopped me giving this five stars.

[Davi Kladakis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazingly written memoir.

[Rute Durão · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um gigante do cinema longe do brilho de Hollywood.

Com grande honestidade, Anthony Hopkins oferece-nos o testemunho de um homem de 88 anos que ainda procura reinventar-se com serenidade. É um livro sem brilhos, luzes ou lantejoulas. Gostei da vulnerabilidade com que aborda temas sensíveis, a relação com a família, os perconceitos, a extrema ansiedade, a solidão necessária, o alcoolismo, o afastamento da sua única filha. Gostei menos do demasiado foco que é dado aos muitos arrependimentos. Ainda assim, é a humanização de um ícone, a revelação de um homem profundamente vulnerável.

O livro tem uma estrutura fragmentada, parece quase desorganizado. Não afetou a minha leitura e achei até interessante. É uma autobiografia. Anthony Hopkins é um ator, não é um escritor. Seria, para mim, estranho se fosse de outra forma. Também na escrita, correu bem, miúdo. É um livro bastante corajoso.

A solidão é algo que prezo. Não propriamente estar sozinho, mas a solidão em si.

[Dumi Cladicov · Rating 4 out of 5]

O autobiografie scrisă autentic, fără un ajutor vizibil din exterior, cu detalii profunde și sincere despre viața și personalitatea lui Anthony Hopkins. Nu evită deloc viciile și defectele sale, iar tocmai această onestitate m-a făcut, personal, să-l îndrăgesc și mai mult.

[Nastya Khyzhniak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Не знаю, як поставити цій книзі рейтинг, бо яке ж нього цікаве життя. Я не оцінюю життя, але дозвіл піти в цю подорож разом вартує багато чого. Трохи хаотична, місцями себе повторює, але захоплива та сповнена інсайтів та рефлексій.

[Agris Fakingsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

..lieliska aktiera memuāri. sakārojās noskatīties kādu viņa filmu.

[Vanessa Hrvatin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely book! Silence of the Lambs is one of my favourite movies, but I realized going into this book I didn’t know much about Anthony at all. He tells his life story simply and honestly. I learned a lot and enjoyed the ride!

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still reading, but oh, so good. I'm listening to the recording of this book done by Kenneth Branagh. Completely engrossing.

Brilliant book. Now I want to go back through all of Anthony Hopkins's movies. I rarely give five stars to any book, but this one earned it.

Thank you, Donna, for nudging me to read this book, so timely for me.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly autistic for a guy who suddenly doesn't think autism is a thing despite proudly wearing that diagnosis about 10 years ago. Still an excellent book. One of those rare celebrity memoirs that doesn't make me feel like the guy who wrote it is kinda gross by the end of it.

[Girish · Rating 5 out of 5]

The experience of this audio-book was perfect for a run. The memoir flowed beautifully with melancholy and deep loneliness. It had its honest vulnerabilities from the actor and poetic during those moments. The appendix of the actor narrating poetry was the best conclusion to this memoir of honesty and growth of a legendary actor.

[Nata Korn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ентоні Гопкінс - це особлива людина. Текст не читався швидко чи легко, але мені було дуже цікаво. Я розумію про що це все і скільки всього залишено між рядків.
Приємно вразило як вдало описані моменти, які стосуються особистого життя інших людей, відчувається етичний підхід, делікатність.
Тут немає якогось напучування в стилі успішного успіху «я зміг і ти зможеш» (від Ентоні Гопкінса я цього і не сподівалась, рада що мої очікування справдились). Мені не була цікава його акторська карʼєра (що часто є мотивом у читачів при виборі мемуарів від акторів), мені цікавий він як людина, його історія, його світогляд. І тим, що ця книга про життя, вона мене і порадувала.

[Roderick Vonhogen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful memoir by Anthony Hopkins. Honest, well-written, full of hard-earned insight and wisdom. Beautifully narrated by Kenneth Branagh, with poetry readings from Sir Anthony Hopkins as an encore.

[Sally Boocock · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely interesting and thought provoking memoir. Sir Anthony talks about his alcoholism in depth and what eventually made him give up drinking. He talks about his family and how he regrets walking out on his then wife and daughter. It has not been an easy life but by God he's worked to get where he is today. Well done. Would definitely recommend to any one who loves memoirs.