It's such a pleasant surprise when you come on set and you find someone in charge like Ken Branagh or James Ivory. You know that you're going to do a day's work and at the end of it, it's going to be good.

In 1993 Hopkins was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the arts. In 2007 he announced he would retire temporarily from the screen to tour around the world. It's an incredible gift.

Along with his Academy Award Hopkins has also won three BAFTA Awards two Emmys and the Cecil B. Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins CBE (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor of film stage and television and a composer. In 1993 Hopkins was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the arts.