Anthony Hopkins and the la te Chadwick Boseman
Anthony HopkinsĀ has weighed in on his surprise Oscar win, accepting the award from home in a short video.
The message, posted early Monday morning, featured a smiling, yet clearly surprised Hopkins thanking the Academy and sharing a heartfelt salute to the lateĀ Chadwick Boseman.
āHere I am in my homeland in Wales,ā Hopkins began. āAt 83 years of age, I did not expect to get this award, I really didnāt. Iām very grateful to the Academy.ā
āI want to pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman, who was taken from us far too early,ā he continued. āI really did not expect this, so I feel very privileged and honoured.ā
In the caption, the actor also thanked āThe Fatherā director Florian Zeller, his wife and family among others.
Hopkins, who was not present at Sunday nightās ceremony, earned his second best actor trophy for his performance in āThe Father,ā playing an aging man struggling with dementia as his daughter (Oscar winner Olivia Colman) moves in to take care of him. Hopkins won the lead actor prize 29 years ago for his iconic take on Hannibal Lecter in āThe Silence of the Lambs.ā
In a major change in the rundown fromĀ Oscars past, best actor was the final award of the night. Joaquin Phoenix, last yearās best actor winner for āJoker,ā presented the category and accepted the award on Hopkinsā behalf.Ā Then the broadcast abruptly ended, according to aĀ VarietyĀ report.
With his win, the 83-year-old actor also made history as the oldest actor, male or female, to earn an Oscar. The late Christopher Plummer previously held the title; Plummer was 82 when he won best supporting actor for āBeginnersā in 2008.