Sir Anthony Hopkins admits real reason behind first divorce in shock marriage admission
Two-time Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins is opening up about his life in a brand-new memoir.
Acting legend Sir Anthony Hopkins has opened up about what caused the end of his first marriage to actress Petronella Barker. The couple had a turbulent union from 1967 until 1972, and the two-time Oscar-winning Hollywood star has admitted he left the family home over fears things could turn violent with his spouse. The 87-year-old Welsh thespian has finally penned an autobiography entitled We Did Ok, Kid: A Memoir, which will be released on November 4, 2025.
In the tell-all book, he opens up about the highs and lows of his life, including all the details of the breakdown of his marriage. Describing their toxic relationship, compounded by his alcoholism, he wrote: "In the evenings, I bought bottles of whiskey at the off-license and took them back to the flat. My depression was boundless; the booze was my pacifier. I brooded. She raged."
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However, he felt unable to leave the marriage when Petronella found out she was pregnant with their daughter Abigail, who is now 57. Acknowledging he was "impossible to live with," he described their "frequent rows" in the tome, according to the Daily Mail.
Describing the particularly extreme altercation that was the last straw, he explained: "I returned from working on location in Scotland. Exhausted after endless days on set and the long trip home, I set down my suitcases in the hall."
He claims Petronella immediately turned on him, staring at him with "utter contempt" and referring to him as "Mr Lord High and Mighty". He wrote: "I had never been physically violent, but in that moment, I was filled with such revulsion that I became afraid for both myself and her.
The row was the impetus for him to pack his bags and leave that very night, and he confesses that while he did send financial support, he had zero contact with either Petronella or their daughter for years afterwards.
Describing it as his "greatest regret," he reflected: "I feel absolutely sure that it would have been much worse for everyone if I’d stayed."
Anthony married film production assistant Jennifer Lynton in 1973, but they divorced in 2002 after almost 30 years. He subsequently married antiques dealer Stella Arroyave in a private ceremony at his clifftop mansion in Malibu, California, in 2003.
