Sir Anthony Hopkins is celebrated as one of the most accomplished dramatic actors of the time, taking on roles that even decades later shine through as masterpieces. Inspired by his Welsh compatriot Richard Burton, he went on to study acting and by 1960 took to professional theatre before moving on to films.

Despite working extensively on the British stage and television, Hopkins is best known for his role as the cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter in The Silence Of The Lambs, for which he earned an Academy Award. The American Film Institute has also ranked his portrayal of the character as the number one film villain.

Since then he has acted in a number of hit films including The Remains Of The Day, Bram Stoker's Dracula and even played director Alfred Hitchcock in the 2012 movie Hitchcock. In 2016, he once again earned acclaim for his role as Dr Robert Ford in season one of HBO's hit western thriller series Westworld.

In 1993, Hopkins was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the arts.

On the occasion of his 79th birthday, on 31 December, IBTimes UK takes a look at some of the veteran actor's most memorable quotes: