We Did Ok, Kid, Anthony Hopkins
We Did Ok, Kid, Anthony Hopkins
9 Rating(s)
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We Did Ok, Kid
A Memoir

Bestseller

Author: Anthony Hopkins

Narrator: Kenneth Branagh, Anthony Hopkins

Unabridged: 9 hr 5 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/04/2025


Synopsis

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Academy Award–winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins delves into his illustrious film and theater career, difficult childhood, and path to sobriety in his honest, moving, and long-awaited memoir.

Born and raised in Port Talbot—a small Welsh steelworks town—amid war and depression, Sir Anthony Hopkins grew up around men who were tough, to say the least, and eschewed all forms of emotional vulnerability in favor of alcoholism and brutality. A struggling student in school, he was deemed by his peers, his parents, and other adults as a failure with no future ahead of him. But, on a fateful Saturday night, the disregarded Welsh boy watched the 1948 adaptation of Hamlet, sparking a passion for acting that would lead him on a path that no one could have predicted.

With candor and a voice that is both arresting and vulnerable, Sir Anthony recounts his various career milestones and provides a once-in-a-lifetime look into the brilliance behind some of his most iconic roles. His performance as Iago gets him admitted into the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and places him under the wing of Laurence Olivier. He meets Richard Burton by chance as a young boy in his art teacher’s apartment, and later, backstage before a performance of Equus as an established actor meeting his hero. His iconic portrayal of Hannibal Lecter was informed by the creepy performance of Bela Lugosi in Dracula and the razor-sharp precision of his acting teacher. He pulls raw emotion from the stoicism of his father and grandfather for an unforgettable performance in King Lear.

Sir Anthony also takes a deeply honest look at the low points in his personal life. His addiction cost him his first marriage, his relationship with his only child, and nearly his life—the latter ultimately propelling him toward sobriety, a commitment he has maintained for nearly half a century. He constantly battles against the desire to move through life alone and avoid connection for fear of getting hurt—much like the men in his family—and as the years go by, he deals with questions of mortality, getting ready to discover what his father called The Big Secret.

Featuring a special collection of personal photographs throughout, We Did OK, Kid is a raw and passionate memoir from a complex, iconic man who has inspired audiences with remarkable performances for over sixty years.

Opening with music composed by the author, and narrated by Academy Award winner Sir Kenneth Branagh, the audiobook concludes with Sir Anthony performing a selection of his and his father’s favorite poems.

About Anthony Hopkins

Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins CBE is one of Britain’s most recognizable and prolific actors. He began his career on stage, working under Laurence Olivier, before moving on to star in various critically acclaimed films. Throughout his six-decade-long career, Sir Anthony is known for acclaimed appearances in notable films such as The Silence of the LambsThe Remains of the Day, Marvel’s ThorThe Father, and many more. He most recently starred in Wife & Dog by award-winning director Guy Ritchie. Sir Anthony has received numerous accolades for his outstanding performances, including two Academy Awards, four BAFTA Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Laurence Olivier Award. He currently resides with Stella, his wife, in Los Angeles, California.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Davi on November 04, 2025

This was an amazingly written memoir.......more

Goodreads review by Kay on November 12, 2025

Incredibly autistic for a guy who suddenly doesn't think autism is a thing despite proudly wearing that diagnosis about 10 years ago. Still an excellent book. One of those rare celebrity memoirs that doesn't make me feel like the guy who wrote it is kinda gross by the end of it.......more

Goodreads review by Sally on November 06, 2025

An extremely interesting and thought provoking memoir. Sir Anthony talks about his alcoholism in depth and what eventually made him give up drinking. He talks about his family and how he regrets walking out on his then wife and daughter. It has not been an easy life but by God he's worked to get whe......more

Goodreads review by Vivienne on November 12, 2025

I am a huge fan of Anthony Hopkins, so I was pretty sure I would enjoy this memoir, impeccably read (on Audible) by Kenneth Branagh with a wonderful Epilogue of favourite poetry, read by Hopkins himself. A surprise, I guess, was the fact that Hopkins, in his younger years, was quite a difficult pers......more

Goodreads review by Mediaman on November 10, 2025

A long slog through the life of an actor whose mindset is that of a very insecure rebel. It's a pretty unsatisfying read, especially if you're hoping to hear much about his movie work. There's a short chapter on Silence of the Lambs, but little about most other films and some of his best-known scree......more