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Anthony Hopkins Warns Young Actors That Mumbling Can Ruin Careers

He cast Marlon Brando as a model of precision rather than a cue for muttered imitation.

Overview

  • The 87-year-old two-time Oscar winner delivered the critique on Dec. 10 during an onstage talk at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival.
  • Urging clarity as part of the job, he recalled telling a young co-star they would have “no career left” if they mumbled because their role was to tell the story.
  • Hopkins said many younger performers try to emulate Brando, whom he praised as a highly skilled technician who understood how to make himself heard.
  • He repeated an anecdote about a young Canadian actor he struggled to hear on set, remarking that he has not heard of the actor since.
  • He connected the remarks to his practical approach to craft, saying acting has become easier with age and that he focuses on learning lines and being real.