The award-winning, 86, known for his role as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, has starred in numerous films, television shows and theatre performances.
But there is one British comedy series that he didn’t get the chance to feature in, with Patricia Franklin revealing which.
The actress, 81, who starred in five of the Carry On films, told of how Anthony admitted he also wished to feature in the franchise.
She explained, how at events: ‘Someone might say, “Patricia is in a Carry On” and a lot of people would say ‘Oh, I’m not interested in Carry Ons.’
Patricia added in an interview with The Guardian: ‘But then others were absolutely mad about it.
‘I was in a play at the National with Anthony Hopkins and he said he loved the Carry Ons and had always wanted to be in one.’
The Carry On films were credited with launching the career of the late Dame Barbara Windsor, and cementing Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, and Leslie Phillips.
In total, 31 films, four Christmas specials and a television series were produced between 1958 and 1992.
They are now criticised for being sexist but remain loved by some for their slapstick humour.
The last Carry On movie to hit the big screen was Carry On Columbus in 1992, which was labelled the ‘worst British film ever made’ by a poll of industry experts in 2004.
Anthony’s Oscar for playing Lecter was followed by another 29 years later for his role as a man battling dementia in the thriller The Father.
In between them he was nominated four more times for The Remains of the Day, Nixon, Amistad and The Two Popes
