Legendary actor and director Anthony Hopkins has worked with various Hollywood stars, however, this one actress forced the actor to make this vile comment about her. The actress, Shirley MacLaine, later explained that she understood why Hopkins was frustrated. The two worked together in director Richard Lang’s 1980 movie A Change of Seasons. The movie was a commercial failure and was scrutinized by the critics, damaging Hopkins’ reputation as an actor.
The actor went on to find his place back in Hollywood as he gave many outstanding performances in many blockbuster hits after 1980’s A Change of Seasons. MacLaine suspected that Hopkins’ newfound sobriety was the reason behind their bad chemistry.
Anthony Hopkins had a hard time working with Shirley MacLaine
Hollywood stars Anthony Hopkins and Shirley MacLaine teamed up to star in director Richard Lang’s 1980 movie A Change of Seasons, however, the film was a disaster and Hopkins ended up blasting MacLaine (via Yahoo!),
“She was the most obnoxious actress I have ever worked with.”
The reason behind this statement seems to come after the failure of A Change of Seasons. The film received three nominations at the 1st Golden Raspberry Awards including Worst Actor for Hopkins and Worst Screenplay.
Shirley MacLaine clapped back at Anthony Hopkins
In a 2014 interview with the New York Post, Shirley MacLaine acknowledged Hopkins’ insult, explaining that she understands where his rage stemmed from,
“I didn’t like him either, but he was on the wagon at that time and it was hard on him.”
The actress referred to his newfound sobriety back when he was filming. The actor struggled with alcoholism and stopped drinking just after Christmas 1975. After the world came to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hopkins shared a video talking about being sober for 45 years (via WalesOnline),
“It’s been a tough year, full of grief and sadness for many, many, many people but 45 years ago today I had a wake-up call. I was heading for disaster. I was drinking myself to death. I got a message, a little thought, that said, ‘Do you want to live or die?’ I said I wanted to live. And suddenly the relief came and my life has been amazing.”
With a career spanning over half a century, Sir Anthony Hopkins left an indelible mark on the world of film and theater with his exceptional talent and versatility. Today, he stands as a true icon in the world of entertainment, a legendary actor whose influence and talent continue to captivate audiences worldwide.
