Anthony Hopkins claims neurodivergent labels are “nonsense” after his wife suggested he has autism
Academy Award-winning actor Anthony Hopkins has said that neurodivergent labels are “nonsense”.
Hopkins made the comment following the release of his new memoir, We Did Ok, Kid, which charts his career, as well as personal problems throughout his life, such as his battle with alcoholism.
In an interview with The Times, the actor revealed that his wife, Stella Arroyave, believes that he may have autism, which Hopkins met with scepticism.
He shared: “I’m obsessed with numbers. I’m obsessed with detail. I like everything in order. And memorising. Stella looked it up and she said, ‘You must be Asperger’s.’ I didn’t know what the hell she was talking about. I don’t even believe it.”
Hopkins then doubled down in his belief that neurodivergency, which also includes ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia, is non-existent, adding, “Full of warts and grime and craziness, it’s the human condition. All these labels. I mean, who cares? But now it’s fashion.”
His comments have been criticised by the ADHD Foundation, who told the Standard: “While Sir Anthony is entitled to his views, dismissing ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions as ‘fashionable’ is deeply unhelpful. These are lifelong differences in brain wiring, not trends. Comments like these can discourage people from seeking support or diagnosis.”
In the same interview with The Times, Hopkins also spoke about his experience of therapy after being recommended to seek help from the legendary Laurence Olivier. However, he only attended sessions “briefly”, sharing, “He kept saying, ‘Let’s go back ’ And I’d just go, ‘I don’t want to do this.’ So boring.”
He also opened up about the “embarrassment” he has felt for being an actor, adding, ‘I’ve not done a stroke of work in my life. When I look at my life, the reality is I haven’t had a good, decent job in my entire life. I’ve done nothing except show up, speak the lines and go home.”
While Hopkins is now 87, he continues to work at a prolific pace with his upcoming projects, including the Guy Ritchie movie, Wife & Dog, which also features Benedict Cumberbatch, Rosamund Pyke, Cosmo Jarvis, and James Norton.
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