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Interview with Sir Anthony Hopkins

"Naturally, being a Welshman, I wanted to play Dylan myself, but the odd thing is, directing Bob, I did not feel any resentment. He's just so good at it. It's his show, so why should I feel resentful? I have done so many great parts in my time, I am just so glad to be of help.

"I remember very clearly when I was first introduced to the work of Thomas. It happened when I was 17, two years after Dylan's death. I had never heard of him before. I think because I was so hopeless at school that I never kept my ears open. It was one of Emlyn Williams tours where he performed as Dylan. I became captivated - really interested. I read the poetry and then the stories. They grabbed me because they took place in the area I grew up in. I have total recall of my childhood, and I find his poems very evocative.

Bob, also a Welshman, was performing his show in London when I first heard of it so I went along to see. I remember thinking why's he doing it? I should be doing that. So I went along and thought it was absolutely terrific. Bob was so extremely good. I went around to see him. We got chatting and then Bob asked me what was wrong with it. I said nothing other than it needs opening up a bit physically. He told me he was thinking of touring with it and asked me if I would like to help. So that's how I became involved."

Hopkins admitted that it was all great fun making the television production.

"I love directing. It's like having a new toy. I had been trying to get someone in TV to give me a chance for over 7 years. Then the producer David Nicholas Wilkinson contacted me out of the blue. He had seen the show in New York and rang my agent to see if I would make it for the screen. He wanted it to be more stylised and visual than the stage show but keeping the simple concept. So I said why not.

"Directing I find is really being there as a third eye, an objective eye, readjusting things but not interfering. You can make suggestions, but if the actor can't take them on board because they are not within his repertoire, then the director should not impose.

Now that I have directed, it has given me a new respect for directors. I used to get very short tempered with them in the past if they did not devote all their time to the actors. I had not appreciated all the different areas about which they had to make decisions. I certainly want to do more directing in the future, and now that David and his partner Gary Tuck have given me that chance, I hope alot more people will consider me as a director."

This interview was recorded in July 1990 at the Marco Polo Studios in Battersea, London. Copyright guerilla films Limited 1996, 1997, 1998

Sir Anthony Hopkins has since directed the feature film August.