We Did Ok, Kid
Sir Anthony Hopkins

We Did Ok, Kid, Sir Anthony Hopkins, November 4, 2025, A Memoir.

​

I grabbed the hard copy at the library. Sir Anthony Hopkins talks about his dreams and what he did to achieve them, but also how he has been sober for the last 50 years. 

 

He begins with his early childhood and moves into the different schools that he went to. He was not a very good student and really was only interested in the arts. He memorized poetry very quickly. His childhood shaped his early adult life and led to his alcoholism. It started as a social drink and then became more of a drug for him as he progressed in theater acting career. Alcohol became a part of his life and destroyed his first marriage and did not make him a fun person to be around. 

How was he going to beat this demon? Would love and forgiveness be the key to sobriety?

​

Hopkins talks of his time in theater with candor and talks of the different directors that were difficult to work with, but also the ones that taught him to be a better actor. There are times when he walks out on rehearsals, because he didn't like the director was treating him. Anthony also has problems with anger. He talks openly of how low he became in his drinking. He knew that if didn't change, he would die at a young age. At 37 he quit drinking. He goes into detail how this was done.  He attributes some it to self-will and the help of friends. I wish he would have dealt more with where he stood in regard to religion. I got the feeling that he holds to some sort of meditation, such as Buddhism. Then there are moments that it seems that he believes in God and Jesus.

​

He goes from his theater career to his film career and found film to be much more fun.  He reads a script thoroughly multiple times and memorizes the other characters and dialogue. There is a whole chapter devoted to Silence of the Lambs and what he did to prepare for the role. He won his first Academy Award for the role. His second would come playing a father who has dementia in 2020.

Hopkins presents his life in different ways. He glides along through his life. As he goes forward, there are moments where he jumps back to a memory that influenced where is at in the present. He writes in a conversational way and basically is telling his life story. It is extremely readable and Sir Anthony reaches out to the reader to like him.

​

I found the book to be very easy to read. I have read some memoirs or biographies that share too much detail that I don’t really care about. Hopkins didn’t give away everything, but gave me just enough to keep reading till the last page. Having not known very much about Anthony Hopkins, it was very interesting the kind of family life that he had and that later in life, he didn’t want to be like his father. I think the title says it all. The question I have for Sir Anthony Hopkins, in whose eyes did he do ok?

​

I would recommend this for ages 13 and up as it deals with some abuse and neglect and alcoholism.

4 out 5 Reading Glasses – I recommend this read to anyone that has ever watched an Anthony Hopkins film.

​​

You can get We Did Ok, Kid here.