Anthony Hopkins reveals why he didn’t show up to receive his Oscar

Anthony Hopkins has revealed why he failed to show up to receive his Oscar – he didn’t think he had any chance of winning.

Speaking on Lorraine on ITV , the Welsh actor explained he went to bed because was convinced the Best Actor gong would be awarded posthumously to Chadwick Boseman for his performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

In the event Hopkins was honoured for his role in The Father as an elderly man with dementia – despite the bookies’ predictions.

Appearing alongside the film’s director, Florian Zeller, the iconic actor said: “I wasn’t being cynical, I didn’t expect to get it, at all. The main contender was Chadwick Boseman, so I went to bed.

“Well what happened very briefly: I didn’t expect to get it, at all. My phone went, and it was a text from my agent saying ‘you’ve won the Oscars’ about 5 o’clock in the morning.

‘Couldn’t believe it’ 

He added: “I really couldn’t believe it, I didn’t expect it.”

Hopkins  – who didn’t give his acceptance speech until he woke up the next morning – went on: “The next morning I made a little speech of thanks to the Academy and a tribute to Chadwick Boseman and I really didn’t expect such a… it was a shock!”

In that video posted to his Instagram account, he said: “I want to pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman who was taken from us far too early, and again, thank you all very much. I really did not expect this, so I feel very privileged and honoured. Thank you.”

Ahead of the Academy Awards, both actors had been nominated at the BAFTAs and Golden Globes, with Hopkins taking home the former and Boseman the latter.

Chadwick Boseman died at the age of 43 last August after a private four-year battle with colon cancer.