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When director Jonathan Demme cast Hopkins after considering more traditional actors like Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, he sought a "Shakespearean monster." By 1990, Hopkins had already established himself as a distinguished Olivier-winning theater actor. However, he approached the role with the intent of breaking into Hollywood's elite, a goal he did not know he was on the brink of achieving.

The Unconventional Approach to Character Preparation

Interestingly, Hopkins eschewed the common practice of immersing himself in the dark world of serial killers. Instead of extensive research on real-life psychopaths, he leaned into his intuition for the character, drawing inspiration from a brutal yet charismatic acting teacher from his past.