Anthony Hopkins Sends Message to Estranged Daughter Abigail in New Memoir
In his newly published memoir, We Did OK, Kid, actor Sir Anthony Hopkins reaches out to his estranged daughter, Abigail, sharing heartfelt words of reconciliation and regret.
“I hope my daughter knows that my door is always open to her. I want her to be well and happy,” wrote Hopkins, 87. “Until the day I die, I will never forget the sight of her in that crib, laughing up at me when I walked in the room the first year of her life, sleeping soundly the night I left. I will always be sorry for hurting her when I left the family, even as I believe to this day that I had no choice.”
Reflections on Family and Regret
Hopkins, who shares his daughter with his first wife, Petronella Barker, reflects deeply on their difficult relationship and the choices that led to their estrangement. The couple was married from 1966 to 1972, a period marked by turbulence and the actor’s struggles with alcohol.
Attempt to Reconnect
During his journey to sobriety, Hopkins attempted to mend the fractured bond with both Barker and Abigail. He recounted a trip to London in 1997 for a reunion with his daughter, who was then nine years old.
“We put up a good front, but obviously so much damage had been done. They didn’t want me there. Throughout the meal, they kept catching each other’s eye and making faces,” he reflected.
Despite the emotional distance, Hopkins recalled moments when Abigail spent time with him during her teenage years, hinting at brief but meaningful connections that remain in his memory.
Author’s Summary
A deeply personal account, Hopkins’ memoir is a reflection on loss, responsibility, and the enduring hope for reconciliation between father and daughter.