With all the enthusiasm of a 14-year-old girl writing a letter to Edward Cullen, Sir Anthony Hopkins has delivered a gushing fanboy letter to Bryan Cranston, praising his work as Walter White in Breaking Bad as “the best acting I have seen – ever.” Hopkins, considered by many to one of the greatest living actors on the planet, binged the entire series in two weeks, and asked Cranston to “pass on [his] admiration to everyone”, insisting that all the actors involved in the show “gave master classes of performance”, which no doubt led to a big collective “Yeah, bitch!” from Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Dean Norris and the rest of the gang.
The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed the letter, which originally appeared on Steven Michael Quezada, AKA Gomie‘s Facebook page (but has since been removed), is authentic. Maybe Hopkins, who won an Academy Award for playing the terrifying Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs, was the mystery bidder who dropped ten grand on that very unique piece of BB merchandise last week?
Here’s the full letter:
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.
Via The Hollywood Reporter. Lead image by Carl Court via Getty.
