Sir Anthony Hopkins: Acting is like a paid hobby

Sir Anthony Hopkins approaches acting like it's a "paid hobby".

The 83-year-old actor loves his job but he doesn't allow himself to get carried away by his own fame and success.

The veteran star - who has been nominated for the Best Actor gong at the Oscars for his performance in 'The Father' - told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: "I’m not a method actor. I can’t sit in the corner thinking I’m a plant or anything like that.

"I get a cup of tea or a cup of coffee and say, ‘Good morning’. Some people want to make a big deal of it. I can’t. I’ve got a life of my own and acting to me is a hobby, a paid hobby, but I enjoy it."

Anthony previously warned young actors that being rich and famous isn't as great as it's perceived to be.

The Hollywood star thinks young people have a distorted impression of life in the movie business.

He explained: "You know, I meet young people, and they want to act and they want to be famous, and I tell them, when you get to the top of the tree, there’s nothing up there. Most of this is nonsense, most of this is a lie. Accept life as it is. Just be grateful to be alive."

Anthony also believes that human beings are still "very early in our evolution".

He said: "We’ve never got it right, human beings. We are all a mess, and we’re very early in our evolution.

"Look back throughout history: you have the 20th century, the murder of 100 million people, barely 80 years ago. The 1914-18 war, the civil war in America, slaughter, bloodshed … I don’t know if there’s a design in it, but it is extraordinary to look at it and get a perspective.

"I think, ‘Well, if it’s the end, there’s nothing we can do about it, and it’ll blow over, whatever happens."'