Two-time Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins has never been one to mince words, and his latest memoir proves that candid honesty remains his trademark approach to storytelling. In “We Did OK, Kid: A Memoir,” the legendary actor delivers a personal account that’s as unvarnished as it is compelling, though it leaves readers wanting more depth in certain areas.
From the very beginning, Hopkins sets clear expectations about what readers won’t find in these pages. This isn’t a memoir designed to tug at heartstrings or generate sympathy. Instead, the Welsh-born actor approaches his life story with the same calculated precision he brings to his most memorable film roles.
The tone becomes immediately apparent in how Hopkins discusses his late father, Richard Arthur Hopkins. With characteristic bluntness, he writes: “Dead and gone now. I don’t know if he exists in another dimension—an afterlife or any of that kind of wishful thinking. But he is deep inside me, like bits of broken china.”
This unflinching perspective runs throughout the memoir, offering glimpses into the mind of an actor who has portrayed everyone from Hannibal Lecter to King Lear with equal intensity. Hopkins doesn’t indulge in the typical celebrity memoir formula of revealing shocking secrets or settling old scores. Instead, he provides what feels like a measured reflection on a career that has spanned more than five decades.
The memoir traces Hopkins’ journey from his early days in Wales through his rise to international stardom, touching on pivotal moments that shaped both his craft and his worldview. His writing style mirrors his acting approach—economical yet powerful, with each word carrying weight.
While the book succeeds in entertaining readers with Hopkins’ distinctive voice and perspective, it occasionally feels frustratingly restrained. The same emotional distance that makes his writing compelling also creates barriers between the reader and deeper insights into his creative process and personal struggles.
For fans of Hopkins’ work, “We Did OK, Kid” offers valuable insights into the mind of one of cinema’s most enduring talents. The memoir serves as both a career retrospective and a meditation on success, legacy, and the complexities of human relationships.
Published by Summit Books, the memoir arrives at a time when Hopkins continues to remain active in Hollywood, proving that even in his eighties, he has stories worth telling and perspectives worth sharing. Whether those stories fully satisfy readers’ curiosity about the man behind iconic characters remains a matter of individual expectation.
The title itself suggests a modest assessment of a remarkable career—a typically understated Hopkins evaluation of a life that has brought memorable characters to millions of viewers worldwide.
