Anthony Hopkins’ memoir title We Did OK Kid is a hint of his self-effacing view of himself, regarded by himself and others in childhood as “useless, hopeless”. Neither sporty nor academic and friendless, “I couldn’t do anything,” he says, until he tripped into acting, won a scholarship to drama college, followed by a RADA training.
From unlikely beginnings he has made more than 90 films, won two Oscars, four Baftas, two Emmys and an Olivier award.
Described in his early career as a “tortured loner” with an anger problem, he says of his social alienation – “It gives me a distance to observe. I may sound like a cold-hearted monster but I’m not. We all wear masks. It’s all part of the game.”
The dominant personality in his autobiography is his father, whose “erratic” moods, “highs of manic energy” and desolate lows hint at bipolar disorder.
Anthony Hopkins was born 31 December 1937 9.15 am (biography) Port Talbot, Wales, and has a highly complicated and contradictory chart His Capricorn Sun, Mercury and Venus sit in his hidden 12th which is the chart area ruling the unconscious and creativity. Capricorn itself although tarred with a materialistic, capitalist brush is also highly creative – the stander on the threshold between the watery realms of the imagination and the earthy realm where dreams are made real. Both fish and goat.
What dominates his chart is a creative, though bleak Water Grand Trine of Pluto in his 7th trine Saturn in final degree Pisces trine his Scorpio Midheaven. It is formed into three Kites by a super-confident Pluto opposition Jupiter, a creative and can-be-neurotic Saturn opposition an 8th house Neptune and MC opposition IC. His immensely talented, inspirational vision is marked by multiple inventive, artistic strands. His Saturn opposition Neptune also squares a Sagittarius Moon giving him sensitivity where the public are concerned but a tendency early on to emotional disorganization as well.
His Mars in Pisces sits midway between a Uranus trine Sun, Mercury, Venus which would give him an uncompromising approach to interference and a tendency to let fly with his opinions.
During the recent LA fires he lost everything he possessed but seems to have shrugged it off as part of life. It occurred on 7 January 2925 when tr Mars was exactly conjunct his Pluto opposition tr Pluto conjunct his Jupiter – so it may have made a sharper impression than he lets on. He tends to act as if nothing much touches him. There is a telling story from his childhood as he was sent off to boarding school at 11 that he vowed never to care about anyone (or anything) too much again.
He has been married three times and has a daughter (estranged) from his first marriage. Luckily his third marriage appears to be happy.
On the subject of Capricorn and art I can confirm that it is something that should be enouraged in these otherwise serious people that tend to be obsessed with appearances. I had always thought that Cancer was the sign of the artist, e.g. Rembrandt. But I have been surprised by a close relative who mostly exhibited the less positive characteristics of her Capricorn sun sign until at age 70 she joined a local watercolour painting class. In a short time she exhibited enormous talent for the medium and her whole character changed from a helicopter goat into a giddy goat who was so much more fun to be with. Her work really is exceptional and makes me wonder why it took so long for her to take the step.
Anthony Hopkins also paints, perhaps he lost a lot of his own works in the fire.
I took a look online and found an alternate birth time for Hopkins, 10:30am, on a Vedic site. I saw it earlier on a western site as well, but it appears everyone has changed the time to the 9:15am one in the recent biography. After some comparison, it does look like the 9:15 time fits better, imo.
Also, Caroline’s point that Capricorn would not ordinarily be associated with creativity is a good to note since Hopkins’ career on the surface of it does not seem to be as structured as Capricorn usually is. However, he has both Mars and Saturn in highly flexible and changeable Pisces, which might account for his wide ranging acting ability while still having a fire/stern personality in private. Actors often have a prominent Mercury and it is interesting, as well, that Hopkins’ Mercury is retrograde in Capricorn. Again, that is contrary for an actor, but maybe it helps to spur a young person on to overcome communication obstacles, and later in the actor’s career when he has to act (and remember) someone else’s lines, not his own, in the play or movie.
When the huge Palisades fire burned Hopkins’ home in California, January 7, 2025, transiting Mars at 29 CancerRx was exactly conjunct his natal Pluto at 29 Cancer and trine his natal Saturn at 29 Pisces. Transiting Uranus at 23 TaurusRx was near his 4th house cusp of home (in the 9:15 chart). Progressed Moon and Midheaven were conjunct, and in square to both the transiting Uranus and his 4th house cusp at Algol. His progressed Ascendant at 20 Gemini and progressed Chiron at 25 Gemini were square his progressed Moon/MC at 24-25 Aquarius. Progressed Mercury at 24 Aries was in the mix and trine to his natal Moon at 24 Sagittarius (Moon being the only fire planet in his natal chart and trines potentially making the whole event worse, rather than better).
It all adds up to quite a whammy for him personally, never mind the entire neighbourhood. Hopkins’ progressed Mars and Uranus were exactly conjunct in the 3rd house in Taurus, the sign of real estate. Chiron was also transiting his progressed Venus, which rules finances as well as real estate) in the 2nd house of money. It’s altogether quite an apt event chart, not that it’s any consolation for any of the people who were wiped out by the fire, as he was.
Darned auto-correct! I meant firm/stern personality, not fire/stern….
A lovely man. I worked in the National Theatre (as it was called then) on a satirical play in 1985 called “Pravda” and Anthony Hopkins was starring as a Rupert Murdoch type, it was brilliant. He was absolutely mesmerising on stage and an amazing actor, one of the best and we had many well known actors in those days. It was his return to the UK stage after being in the USA and he received a standing ovation which was so well deserved. Very charming, extremely professional and would stop to chat. He had a great presence, felt powerful and quite commanding. But not to be messed with I think, if something was not done correctly there was a hullabaloo. That kind of professionalism and his unique character holds a treasured memory for me.
It is also interesting to see his Saturn is in the 2nd house, enabling him to earn a very prosperous living through working with his imaginative 12th stellium in Capricorn . He describes himself as having an inner monster, could that be Algol’s influence conjunct his IC? As Algol is in his house of communication/ childhood years and close to his IC. Couple this with his 12th house dream/ imagination he may have been confronted with a dark imagination in his childhood? Algol is also in sextile Pluto in Cancer ruler of the 4th. It looks like has a mastered quite a challenge and come through it.
“He tends to act as if nothing much touches him” ~ most tellingly as he reveals sensitive content. That distance or space could also reveal a spiritual awareness/power. Props to 12th house placements. Steven Colbert recently inquired abt impending death, and AH responded w/o a flinch. (No idea how the subject of estrangement would go.)
I wish Charlie Rose’s round table still existed…Two Capricorns hashing it out would be a true achievement. Two other Capricorns: Vivekananda and Paramahansa Yogananda. Jesus is anyones guess, but December 25th surely represents leadership and Almighty Power.
That bookcover photo shows a searching character, unafraid of a marred and lived-in mask ( while making full use of every scrap). I love how it chimes w his Cap rising and Scorpio midheaven. The authority/diligence, the piercing blue eyes, both coming at you, and receding at the same time. Ancient/ageless.
The hidden nature of the 12th seems to be harnessed into a power of protection for/by him. #Goals, says me.
A recovering alcoholic friend was desperate to get on a particular course, to train to be a counsellor himself. He couldn’t raise the money so in desperation he wrote to Anthony via his agent. Within a few days he received a cheque for the full amount, it was a lot of dough, with a note wishing him all the best from the man himself. Venus in 12th. Quiet, no fanfare decency. My pal is now very accomplished in the field and has helped thousands of addicts put their lives in order and lead fulfilling lives
Thank you Gamal. So lovely to hear something good for once. It lifts the heart.
The gift of desperation, as they say in the rooms.
Lovely to read this.
Thank you for sharing this story. Interestingly another person who did such good deeds without publicity was George Michael, who also had Sun (and Venus) in the 12th house.
What a lovely, revealing story! He sounds like a truly decent, caring and generous guy.
Thanks Marjorie. Anthony Hopkins is an exceptional actor and his work sings to my Capricorn Venus.
More generally, it’s interesting about Capricorn straddling both water and earth realms (being half goat half fish).
I would not associate Capricorn with creativity based on the Mars and Sun Capricorns I have known. They have always struck me as quite rigid and conservative people. Compliant with conformity and rules.
I’d go as far to interpret the half goat half fish symbol as their ability to survive and endure (at all costs) on both terrains.