Anthony Hopkins is coming for Oscar #3 with his star turn in ‘Freud’s Last Session’

Anthony Hopkins won his second Best Actor Oscar in 2021 for the emotionally devastating drama “The Father,” pulling off an upset over the late Chadwick Boseman (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”).  In so doing, he became the oldest winner in this category at 83 and he could well break that record this year for his acclaimed turn as Sigmund Freud in “Freud’s Last Session.”

This Sony Pictures Classics release tells the true story of the friendship between the famed physician and writer C.S. Lewis (Matthew Goode) as they debate God, relationships, outlooks, and family. Critics have been effusive about Hopkins’ performance.

Kristen Lopez (The Wrap) opined: “Hopkins could make hay out of anything and here he’s a formidable presence as the curmudgeonly Freud. For all the pain the man was enduring at the time — sparking a dependence on morphine that is followed throughout — Hopkins always balances that out with humor, pointing out the contradictions of Lewis’ commitment to God. At one point, Freud’s amiable mien slips, as he reveals a key reason he’s an atheist and Hopkins conveys such pain, power and resilience.”

Stephen Farber (The Hollywood Reporter) observed: “Hopkins is superb. He chooses to play the part without an Austrian accent, but he perfectly captures the doctor’s mental vigor as well as his physical frailty. Hopkins has had a pretty amazing late-career resurgence, and this performance can be added to that list of achievements.”

Pete Hammond (Deadline) declared: “What makes this an event for serious (and you better be in this instance) filmgoers are the performances, particularly Hopkins who has always added an entertaining, often playful tone to his portrayal of real figures in our history (well maybe not Nixon). Here he seems to relish digging into all the nooks and crannies of Freud… As in his most recent Oscar-winning performance in ‘The Father,’ this portrait of a man with a still vital mind in his final days is riveting to watch as it builds to a crescendo. Hopkins is once again, you guessed it, awards-worthy. What a complete pleasure it continues to be to watch this great actor at the top of his game.”

Mark St. Germain adapted his award-winning play, just as Florian Zeller did with “The Father.” Plays have proven to be a fertile ground for Best Actor contenders. Last year Brendan Fraser won for adaptation of  “The Whale.” 2022 saw two such nominees: Denzel Washington (“The Tragedy of Macbeth”) and Andrew Garfield (“Tick, Tick… Boom!”). And Boseman was likewise showcased in an adaptation (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”).

And in 2019, Jonathan Pryce contended for his role as Pope Francis in “The Two Popes.” As with “Freud’s Last Session” “The Two Popes” was essentially a two-hander adapted from a play by Anthony McCarten about two important real-life figures. Hopkins portrayed the retired Pope Benedict XVI. He reaped a Best Supporting Actor bid.

Hopkins is portraying another iconic figure in “Freud’s Last Session.” We know the academy like these roles in the Best Actor category. Recent performers who were nominated for playing real people include Austin Butler for “Elvis” earlier this year, 2022 winner Will Smith for “King Richard,” 2022 nominee Javier Bardem for “Being the Ricardos,” and 2021 nominee Gary Oldman for “Mank.”

Oldman won in 2018 for portraying Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour,” which chronicled his leadership of the UK during a low point in World War II. That global conflict was the backdrop for two other recent films that reaped Best Actor bids: 2016′ s”Hacksaw Ridge” (Garfield) and 2015’s “The Imitation Game” (Benedict Cumberbatch).

Hopkins also headlines “One Life,” which tells the true story of British humanitarian Nicholas Winton, who saved hundreds of children from the Nazis during World War II. The film switches between two timelines — one set during WWII when Johnny Flynn is Winton and one set decades later with Hopkins as an older Winton. This one won’t be eligible for Oscars but is set for a UK release on Jan. 1. Having two films out there certainly helps Hopkins’ case.

Hopkins won his first Best Actor Oscar back in 1992 for “The Silence of the Lambs” for one of the most recognizable and cherished performances in cinema history. Only Daniel Day-Lewis has more Best Actor trophies, with three wins (“My Left Foot,” “There Will Be Blood,” and “Lincoln”).

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