Anthony Hopkins Opens Up About Leaving First Wife for a Shocking Reason

Anthony Hopkins has revealed that he left his first marriage because he feared he might become physically violent.

The 87-year-old actor, known for films like The Silence of the Lambs, The Two Popes, Nixon, and The Father, shared the details in his upcoming memoir, We Did Ok, Kid, according to the Daily Mail.

Hopkins was married to actress Petronella Barker from 1967 to 1972, and their marriage was marked by tension and conflict. He wrote, “In the evenings, I bought bottles of whiskey at the off-license and took them back to the flat. My depression was boundless; the booze was my pacifier. I brooded. She raged.”

By the time they realized their relationship was struggling, Barker was pregnant with their daughter, Abigail. Hopkins explained that his wife disliked his working-class parents and often left the house when they visited.

He also admitted that he himself was “impossible to live with” and struggled with depression and anger. “I didn’t know how to cut through, how to become human, how to keep myself from slipping into darkness,” he wrote.

Hopkins described one particularly intense night after returning from a film shoot in Scotland. Exhausted from work and travel, he arrived home to find Barker mocking him. She called him “Mr Lord High and Mighty”, and in that moment, Hopkins said he was filled with “such revulsion that I became afraid for both myself and her.” He left their home after saying goodbye to their 14-month-old daughter.

“Aside from sending financial support, I didn’t have contact with Petronella and Abigail for a few years after that. It is the saddest fact of my life, and my greatest regret, and yet I feel absolutely sure that it would have been much worse for everyone if I’d stayed,” he reflected.

Hopkins later married film production assistant Jennifer Lynton in 1973, divorcing in 2002. He has been married to antiques dealer Stella Arroyave since 2003. The actor credited Stella with helping him overcome depression, and they celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in 2013 with a private blessing at St Davids Cathedral.

Hopkins also discussed his estranged relationship with his daughter Abigail. He told The New York Times that although Stella reached out to invite Abigail to see them, “Not a word of response. So I think, okay, fine.” He added, “I wish her well, but I’m not going to waste blood over that. If you want to waste your life being in resentment, fine, go ahead.”

He emphasized the importance of letting go of resentment. “Life is painful. Sometimes people get hurt. Sometimes we get hurt. But you can’t live like that. You have to say, Get over it. And if you can’t get over it, fine, good luck to you. I have no judgment. But I did what I could. So that’s it. That’s all I want to say.”

Hopkins also admitted he hasn’t always been a good husband or father. “I guess I am selfish. I have not been a good husband or father,” he said, adding that he has no idea if he has grandchildren. “People break up. Families split and, you know, ‘Get on with your life.’ People make choices. I don’t care one way or the other.”

His memoir, We Did Ok, Kid, is set to share more insights into his life, both on and off screen, giving fans a look at the personal struggles behind his public career.

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