What happened with Anthony Hopkins and Abigail Hopkins? Troubled Relationship With Daughter Explained

Anthony Hopkins is reflecting on his estrangement from his daughter Abigail, whom he welcomed with his first wife, Petronella Barker, in 1969.

During a recent interview with The New York Times discussing his upcoming memoir, We Did OK, Kid, Anthony shared that his wife, Stella Arroyave, invited Abigail to visit; however, she did not respond.

"Not a word of response. So I think, okay, fine. I wish her well, but I'm not going to waste blood over that. If you want to waste your life being in resentment, fine, go ahead," added Anthony.

Anthony Hopkins says his estranged daughter ignored his wife's invitation to reconnect: 'I could carry resentment over the past, but that's death. You're not living.' https://t.co/wJ7BPtx9Im

— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) October 25, 2025

Anthony added that he could "carry resentment over the past, but that's death," adding:

"You have to acknowledge one thing: that we are imperfect. We're not saints. We're all sinners and saints or whatever we are. We do the best we can."

He continued:

"Life is painful. Sometimes people get hurt. Sometimes we get hurt. But you can't live like that. You have to say, 'Get over it.' And if you can't get over it, fine, good luck to you. I have no judgment. But I did what I could. So that's it. That's all I want to say."

When asked if he hoped Abagail to read his book, Anthony expressed skepticism before stating:

"I'm not going to answer that. No. I don't care."

After his split from Barker in 1972, Anthony briefly reconnected with Abigail in the 1990s, and she appeared in his films Shadowlands and Remains of the Day. However, they have since become estranged.

"Our relationship was always so sporadic": Abigail Hopkins on her relationship with her father, Anthony Hopkins

In a 2006 interview with The Telegraph, Abigail shared that she might "possibly" reconcile with her father someday.

"It would have to be a two-way thing, though. I don't know how I would feel about it. We have never really been close. We've never discussed big life issues. Because, well, our relationship was always so sporadic. I've never felt I could discuss those sort of things with him," said Abigail.

She also recalled her childhood, claiming she would see Anthony "maybe once a year."

"I would see him, but maybe once a year. There is a little bit of sadness but I have to get on with my life. It has always been like that. See him, and then not. Then, when I was 16, there was some row."

At the time, Abigail also shared that she still loved her father and wished him well.

"I love my father. He has been very supportive. I really wish him well. But I have found a certain independence through my music. I need to give myself that time, to move out of the shadow."

Many years after Abigail's remarks, Hopkins, once again, reflected on their strained relationship in a 2018 interview with the Radio Times. In the interview, he admitted that he didn't know if Abigail had made him a grandfather.

"I don’t have any idea. People break up. Families split and, you know, 'Get on with your life.' People make choices. I don't care one way or the other," Hopkins said.

According to her self-titled website, Abigail Hopkins is an actress and musician. She released her debut album, Smile Road, in 2002, followed by Blue Satin Alley in 2005 and The Memoirs of an Outlaw in 2008. She released her new LP, Stardust, this year.

In 2020, Abigail was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer and subsequently wrote and directed the documentary short, Under This Sky, about her journey.