Anthony Hopkins schreibt Fan-Mail an Bryan Cranston

Jeder Serienfan kennt das: Du steigst erst spät in eine Serie ein, schaust die erste Folge und kannst nicht mehr aufhören. Mir geht es mit jeder neuen Staffel Game of Thrones so und Anthony Hopkins hat diese Erfahrung mit Breaking Bad gemacht.

Innerhalb von einer Woche zog er sich die komplette Serie rein und war so begeistert, dass er Bryan Cranston über ihr gemeinsames Management eine Fan-Mail zukommen ließ. Darin bezeichnet er die Serie als brillant und Cranstons Darstellung des Walter White als die beste Schauspielerei, die er jemals gesehen hat. Zudem bat er Cranston darum, auch allen anderen Darstellern der Serie in seinem Namen zu gratulieren. Witzig ist, wie Hopkins mehrmals betont, dass er niemandem einfach nur schmeicheln will, sondern jedes Wort ernst meint. Hier könnt ihr die gesamte Mail lesen:

Dear Mister Cranston.

I wanted to write you this email – so I am contacting you through Jeremy Barber – I take it we are both represented by UTA . Great agency.

I’ve just finished a marathon of watching “BREAKING BAD” – from episode one of the First Season – to the last eight episodes of the Sixth Season. (I downloaded the last season on AMAZON) A total of two weeks (addictive) viewing.

I have never watched anything like it. Brilliant!

Your performance as Walter White was the best acting I have seen – ever.

I know there is so much smoke blowing and sickening bullshit in this business, and I’ve sort of lost belief in anything really.

But this work of yours is spectacular – absolutely stunning. What is extraordinary, is the sheer power of everyone in the entire production. What was it? Five or six years in the making? How the producers (yourself being one of them), the writers, directors, cinematographers…. every department – casting etc. managed to keep the discipline and control from beginning to the end is (that over used word) awesome.

From what started as a black comedy, descended into a labyrinth of blood, destruction and hell. It was like a great Jacobean, Shakespearian or Greek Tragedy.

If you ever get a chance to – would you pass on my admiration to everyone – Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, Aaron Paul, Betsy Brandt, R.J. Mitte, Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Steven Michael Quezada – everyone – everyone gave master classes of performance … The list is endless.

Thank you. That kind of work/artistry is rare, and when, once in a while, it occurs, as in this epic work, it restores confidence.

You and all the cast are the best actors I’ve ever seen.

That may sound like a good lung full of smoke blowing. But it is not. It’s almost midnight out here in Malibu, and I felt compelled to write this email.

Congratulations and my deepest respect. You are truly a great, great actor.

Best regards

Tony Hopkins.