Anthony Hopkins as Supporting Roles: 5 Times Star Shined Without Being Lead Actor

While some of the best Anthony Hopkins roles see the actor taking the lead in movies such as "The Silence of the Lambs," "The Remains of the Day," "Shadowlands," and "Hitchcock," Hopkins has also showcased his acting abilities in a number of supporting roles. Many of these supporting roles have earned the star accolades from fans and critics alike.

Here are five times Anthony Hopkins has shined in the supporting role:

1. Making his debut on the silver screen, Anthony Hopkins played the role of Richard I, one of three sons of King Henry II, in "The Lion in Winter" (1968). This performance, alongside Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn, provided Hopkins his "big break," according to Destination Hollywood.

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The actor was recognized with a nomination for Best Supporting Actor by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

2. In the television miniseries "Great Expectations" (1989) Anthony Hopkins' supporting role as Abel Magwitch, thief and benefactor of Pip, earned him an Emmy nomination.

3. In 1992's "Bram Stoker's Dracula," Anthony Hopkins was cast in the role of professor Abraham Van Helsing, vampire killer. Van Helsing aids Johnathan Harker (Keanu Reeves) whose fiancee, Mina (Winona Ryder), is being seduced by Dracula (Gary Oldman).

Hopkins' efforts were recognized with a nomination for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA, and a win for Best Supporting Actor from the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards.

4. Another award-nominated performance for a supporting role was Hopkins' part as Dr. John Harvey Kellogg in "The Road to Wellville" (1994). A comedic change of pace from the his usual dramatic roles, this one prompted a nomination for Best Supporting Actor from the Chicago Film Critics Association.

5. In the 1997 film "Amistad" Anthony Hopkins portrayed John Quincy Adams, arguing in court on behalf of imprisoned Africans who had staged a mutiny aboard the Amistad after being kidnapped from their homes to be sold into slavery.

Although Hopkins only had a supporting role, Roger Ebert noted, "the heart of the film, really, is in Anthony Hopkins' powerful performance as old John Quincy Adams, who speaks for 11 minutes in defense of the defendants, and holds the courtroom (and the audience) spellbound. It is one of the great movie courtroom speeches."

For this performance, Anthony Hopkins was nominated for several awards as supporting actor including an Oscar and a Golden Globe, reports AnthonyHopkinsMovies.com.
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With a career spanning decades, Anthony Hopkins has demonstrated his acting talent in a variety of supporting roles as well as lead roles, winning recognition and praise in either case.

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