NEW YORK --An awed hush descends as Sir Anthony Hopkins enters the room, quickly darting to his seat like a man eager to get a job finished as quickly as possible. He sits down agitatedly and fiddles with the microphone before him. When he speaks, that unmistakable baritone stops the gathered crowd and holds everyone transfixed. And all he's asked for is a glass of water.
Hopkins' presence is so huge it could stop a train, and at this press conference, held after "Hannibal's" New York release last year, it is matched with a brooding, almost angry disposition that emanates from his broad yet squat frame. It's obvious he's not comfortable, and for a man who is here to talk about his resurrection of the role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, Hollywood's most infamous serial killer, he is giving off some very, very malevolent vibes.
How does he approach the part? "I didn't have to do much, just read the lines, just act. It isn't difficult," is his withering response.