Anthony Hopkins pays tribute to Chadwick Boseman in Oscars acceptance speech

Actor delivered his belated speech from Wales

Anthony Hopkins has released a belated acceptance speech after winning the Oscar for Best Actor.

Hopkins was the recipient of the prize last night (25 April), which he won for his performance in The Father. 

The actor beat out Riz Ahmed, Steven Yeun and the late Chadwick Boseman for the coveted statuette. However, he was not in attendance at the Los Angeles event to accept the award.

Following news of his victory, Hopkins has since released a belated acceptance speech video that he recorded from Wales.

Set against the sunny backdrop of Welsh countryside, he said: “Good morning, here I am in my homeland in Wales. At 83 years of age I did not expect to get this award, I really didn’t and I’m very grateful to the Academy and thank you.”

He went on to pay tribute to Boseman “who was taken from us far too early”.

Hopkins concluded: “Thank you all very much. I really did not expect this so I feel very privileged. Thank you.”

To the surprise of many viewers, the Best Actor category concluded yesterday’s ceremony (25 April) when it is typically Best Picture that closes the evening’s events.

It was a baffling decision, and one that rendered the ending somewhat anti-climactic.

Although Hopkins’s co-star, Olivia Colman, was expected to make a speech on his behalf, that did not materialise.

Some have speculated that bosses moved Best Actor to the end as they had predicted Boseman would win the prize for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

Hopkins won, however, for his performance as an elderly man with dementia in The Father, directed by French novelist and playwright Florian Zeller, who also wrote the stage play on which the film is based.

At 83 years old, he is now the oldest-ever recipient of an acting Oscar. This is his second win and fourth nomination in the same category. 

The actor previously won the award in 1992 for his role inThe Silence of the Lambs. He was later nominated for The Remains of the Day (1994) and Nixon (1996).