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Widely regarded as the most memorable introduction in film history – and he remains utterly motionless.

The FBI trainee, a rookie, navigates a corridor of cells finally encountering Hannibal Lecter's secure glass tank. The man is present, appearing as a living skull filled with sinister intent, unnervingly still in his form-fitting prisoner's blue outfit. He remains motionless right up until he propels himself at the barrier, emitting that extraordinary hissing-slavering sound. A multitude of real-crime films have since demonstrated that actual serial killers are often very boring, with nothing resembling Hopkins' commanding screen presence.

He was not a newcomer when he landed the part that won him an Oscar in The Silence of the Lambs in 1989: he was already established, instead, a superstar emerged. His Dr. Lecter drew influence, the actor happily remembers in this new autobiography, on Bela Lugosi's Dracula, on Stalin as recalled by his daughter, and also from his strictly demanding acting coach his mentor Fettes. There was also a parent-child dynamic to these scenes; a difficult topic for the actor, who further explains how his portrayal of Lear was subconsciously influenced by painful regret about Abigail, his distant daughter from his initial marriage back in 1966 to his first wife, who disliked his absences and his alcohol use.

The title originates from an old wartime photo of Hopkins as a toddler playing on the sand with his father – the boy who perhaps believed he wouldn't succeed. He appeared lost, isolated and sensitive child raised in Port Talbot, son of Richard Arthur Hopkins, the standout secondary character in this story: a bread-maker and man's man, a direct communicator who despised the religious hypocrites of the chapel and avoided displaying emotion, but had a streak of dreamy, sentimental tenderness. His father who was angered by the way they had to go humbly to their rich relatives like Auntie Patty, whose spouse was acquainted with Nye Bevan and was able to secure Anthony as a boy into an elite school: “Because they're bloody rich!” he shouts while traveling there. “We are all expecting handouts! Total garbage, that's all it is!”

The humility worked, for a while. Hopkins was a hopeless student at the prestigious school. However, one day during an English class he had to recite the poem by Masefield The West Wind – sight unseen – and his talent emerged; he shocked the educator and the other boys. He reasonably claims that verse, by itself, launched him. Combined with participating in the YMCA theater group. Surprisingly, he exited school without much hope, entered the acting world, and shocking his family, was performing with the great Olivier at the Old Vic within 10 years. He largely achieved it alone, though at that time scholarships existed to attend Rada – a way up for working-class actors. His father was always amazed with Anthony's worldwide acclaim: on asking his son to recite the Yorick speech from Hamlet, Richard listened carefully and then retreated to another room and burst into tears.

Regarding the fiery, stubborn individual, he departed the theatrical troupe out of frustration – to Olivier's profound dismay and criticism – but stumbled upon an excellent television part as a suspected war criminal in Leon Uris's QB VII, which led indirectly to roles such as in the film The Elephant Man and a thriving starry career in cinema, that he favored to the stage. He gave up alcohol in 1975 having been a hell-raising alcoholic, and so survived into middle age to achieve remarkable acting, including Lecter, the steward Stevens in the film The Remains of the Day alongside Emma Thompson and the elderly man with dementia in his film The Father – his next Oscar win.

During the second part of the book his personality becomes more opaque, more studied. A few tales doesn't quite come off. He recalls going out for lunch with his fellow actor in the film Nixon, the much-respected actor Sorvino, who intended to inform him his acting as Nixon was falling short. Was this the moment for Hopkins to learn something from the legendary star from Goodfellas? Hardly. Anthony appears to agree with Stone's rejection that Sorvino was acting due to resentment. Is that so?

He often portrays the tough, down-to-earth professional actor who thinks it's your duty to get there on time, learn everyone's name on set and do the job. Absolutely. However, he also describes facing a rude director who caused a young extra to weep: “Apologize to that girl! And develop some respect. Should you ever act that way near me, I'll alter your appearance!” Anthony comes across as a person who quit alcohol but maybe not the belligerence that came with it. An actor of his caliber must know Cornwall's speech regarding Kent from the play Lear: “He cannot flatter, he! An honest mind and plain – he must speak truth!”

Anthony ends his memoir with an extensive addendum composed simply