Anthony Hopkins did not mince words when he opened up about his time on Marvel Studios’ Thor movies.
What does Anthony Hopkins think of his time playing Odin?
In a piece from The New Yorker on how the Marvel Cinematic Universe has swallowed Hollywood whole, Hopkins made it clear he doesn’t consider the Thor movies a career highlight.
“They put me in armor; they shoved a beard on me,” Hopkins recalled. “Sit on the throne, shout a bit. If you’re sitting in front of a green screen, it’s pointless acting.”
Hopkins’ first appearance in the MCU was in the 2011 fantasy film Thor. He portrayed Odin Allfather — the ruler of Asgard, the biological father of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Hela (Cate Blanchett), and the adopted father of Loki (Tom Hiddleston). He reprised the role in the film’s first two sequels — The Dark World and Ragnarok — which were released in theaters in 2013 and 2017, respectively. Following Odin’s death in Ragnarok, Hopkins did not return for the fourth Thor film, Love and Thunder (2022). However, archival footage of Odin from previous films was briefly used in the 2022 superhero feature.
Prior to the MCU, Hopkins was best known for his Oscar-winning performance in 1991’s The Silence of the Lambs. The actor played cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the psychological horror film. He returned to the role for the film’s sequel, Hannibal (2001), and prequel, Red Dragon (2002).
Other prominent projects Hopkins has worked on include the films Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), Nixon (1995), The Mask of Zorro (1998), and the HBO television series Westworld.
Marvel fans can view all three Thor movies featuring Hopkins’ Odin on Disney+.
