"It's All Over. Now You Can Start Living": Anthony Hopkins on the Voice from God That Ended 50 Years of Alcoholism
Los Angeles, California — Academy Award-winning actor Anthony Hopkins recently opened up about a moment of clarity nearly 50 years ago that led him to sobriety and reshaped his understanding of faith, an experience he now attributes to God.
In an interview with The New York Times ahead of the release of his memoir, We Did OK, Kid, the 87-year-old Welsh actor recalled December 29, 1975, when he was driving drunk in California and realized he could endanger others.
Hopkins admitted he was "drinking like it was going out of fashion" during the depths of his alcoholism. "I was drunk, driving my car here in California, in a blackout – no clue where I was going," Hopkins said.
"It was a moment when I realized that I could have killed somebody – or myself, which I didn't care about, but I could have killed a family in a car. I realized I was an alcoholic. I came to my senses and I said to an ex-agent of mine at this party in Beverly Hills, I said, 'I need help.'"
Hopkins noted that he checked the time and it was exactly 11 p.m. What happened next, he said, felt like an "epiphany."
"Some deep, powerful thought or voice spoke to me from inside and said: 'It's all over. Now you can start living. And it has all been for a purpose, so don't forget one moment of it,'" Hopkins recalled.
Hopkins said he "made the fatal phone call to an intergroup in LA, a 12-step program. They said, 'We'll send somebody over to meet you,' and I said, 'No, I'll come to you.'"
When Hopkins arrived at the meeting, he heard a "deep, powerful thought" that told him, "It's all over. Now you can start living and it has all been for a purpose, so don't forget one moment of it." Almost instantly, Hopkins said, his craving for drinking just left.
Hopkins noted he was hesitant to tell the story out of fear of sounding "preachy or like a goody two shoes." He added, "If you do have a problem – having fun is wonderful, having a drink is fine – but if you are having a problem with the booze, there is help. It's not a terrible deal, it's a condition. If you're allergic to alcohol, get some help. There's plenty of help around."
Hopkins will celebrate 50 years sober in December 2025 and expresses gratitude for his long life. After celebrating his sobriety, Hopkins confessed, "I've had a wonderful life. They still employ me, they still give me jobs." He added, "I'm celebrating my long life, my unexpectedly long life."
In recent years, Hopkins has appeared in several faith-adjacent films, including "Freud's Last Session," which explores an imagined conversation between Sigmund Freud, an atheist, and Christian author C.S. Lewis.
THE CRUSADER'S OPINION
Anthony Hopkins was driving drunk in a blackout, careening through California with no idea where he was going. He could have killed a family. He could have destroyed lives. And in that moment, God spoke.
"It's all over. Now you can start living."
Not condemnation. Not judgment. Purpose. Hopkins heard a voice so deep and powerful that it stopped his addiction cold. Instantly. The cravings vanished. For 50 years, he's been sober because God met him in his darkest moment and declared his life had meaning.
This is the gospel the world needs to hear. God doesn't wait for us to clean ourselves up before He intervenes. He meets addicts in blackouts. He speaks to the lost, the broken, the hopeless, and declares: your suffering has purpose, and now you can start living.
Hopkins was hesitant to share this story because he didn't want to sound preachy. But there's nothing preachy about testimony. There's power in declaring what God has done. Millions struggle with addiction, shame, and despair. They need to know that the same God who spoke to Hopkins at 11 p.m. on December 29, 1975, still speaks today.
Recovery isn't about willpower. It's about surrender. Hopkins didn't muscle his way to sobriety. He heard God's voice and obeyed. He called for help. He showed up to that meeting. And God did the rest.
The enemy wants addicts to believe they're beyond redemption. Hopkins' story demolishes that lie. God redeems. God restores. God gives purpose to our pain. And He's still speaking to anyone willing to listen.
TAKE ACTION
Support Addiction Recovery and Faith-Based Sobriety:
- Celebrate Recovery - Christ-centered recovery program for all struggles
https://www.celebraterecovery.com
Email: cr@saddleback.com
Phone: 1-949-609-8000 - Teen Challenge - Faith-based addiction recovery programs
https://teenchallenge.usa.org
Email: info@globaltc.org
Phone: 1-417-862-6969 - Alcoholics Anonymous - 12-step recovery program
https://www.aa.org
Phone: 1-212-870-3400 - SAMHSA National Helpline - Free, confidential treatment referral and information
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
Phone: 1-800-662-4357 (24/7)
