Diary: Hannibal hostel fit for a Hop-king

Some of us can’t look at Anthony Hopkins without seeing Hannibal Lecter, so convincing was he in the role of the flesh-eating serial killer. It’s a testament to his acting skills that many of us feel that way, surely?

Well now Hopkins is starring in a BBC2 adaptation of King Lear, and it seems his acting is once again so convincing that he’s already got people thinking he’s – wait for it – not a king, but a homeless man.

According to Digital Spy, Richard Eyre’s production depicts the title character’s descent into madness by having him “wandering the streets, shabbily dressed, pushing his belongings around in a trolley”.

At a screening of the film, Eyre revealed: “When we were filming, a woman in a mobility scooter rode up to Tony, and said, ‘You know, there’s a hostel up the road… so you might want to take your shopping trolley down there.’ ”

Tabard can’t be sure if the said woman was being helpful or rude, but all credit to Hopkins for once again being so utterly convincing.

His co-stars are clearly in awe of the actor’s hard work. “What I found so extraordinary about him was how ferocious he is about being an actor,” Andrew Scott reported. “He’d come in every day and you’d say, ‘How did you sleep?’ and he’d say, ‘Fuck sleep, I didn’t sleep!’ ”

Well, Tabard thinks you do need sleep, Hopkins, otherwise you’d die. But it does paint a striking image. And you don’t mess with Lecter. Sorry, Hopkins.

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