Anthony Hopkins is celebrating a major milestone: 45 years of sobriety.
The 82-year-old Oscar winner shared a black-and-white video to his Twitter announcing the news.
“…45 years ago today, I had a wake-up call,” he said. “I was heading for disaster, drinking myself to death. I’m not preachy, but I got a message. A little thought that said, ‘Do you want to live or die?’ And I said, ‘I want to live.’ And suddenly the relief came and my life has been amazing.”
With gratitude, I celebrate 45 years of sobriety. pic.twitter.com/fxzMRGlI4m
— Anthony Hopkins (@AnthonyHopkins) December 29, 2020
The “Hannibal” star admitted that not every day is easy, adding, “I have my off days and sometimes little bits of doubt and all that.”
However, he encouraged those struggling with sobriety to keep fighting. “…All in all I say, hang in there. Today is the tomorrow you were so worried about yesterday. Young people, don’t give up. Keep fighting. Be bold. Mighty forces will come to your aid. That’s sustained me through my life.”
Anthony ended his sweet video with a message of hope for 2021. “Happy New Year. This is going to be the best year.”
Anthony previously opened up about his journey to sobriety in a 2019 interview with Brad Pitt for Interview Magazine. “I don’t know why I drank all my life. I did it because it was the only thing I knew,” he said.
“I look back now and I think, ‘Well, it wasn’t bad, but I don’t want to do it again.’ I caused a bit of damage then, but I’ve made my apologies to people for doing what I did. It’s all part of being alive. And whatever power there is in us, it’s forgiving. It’s over. Forget it. Just move on.”