People News

Sir Anthony Hopkins wants to buy childhood home

Jan 7, 2013, 9:01 GMT

Sir Anthony Hopkins

Sir Anthony Hopkins has put in an offer to buy his childhood house.

The 'Hitchcock' actor surprised the owners of the house, Chris Trainor and his wife Carly Culver, in Port Talbot, South Wales, when he turned up with his wife Stella Arroyave, on their way back to London from Pembrokeshire after the famous couple renewed their wedding vows at St David's Cathedral.

After Anthony, 74, and Stella, 57, toured the property in Wern Road and the Hollywood star reminisced in the room where he was born, Stella asked Chris and Carly if they would consider selling the £180,000 semi-detached home.

Chris told WalesOnline.co.uk: 'I looked out of the window and caught sight of a chauffeur who I know personally. I talked to him and he told me he was taking Anthony and his wife up to London.

'It was at this point Sir Anthony Hopkins popped his head out of the car window and said, 'How are you?'

'I knew from the previous owner Sir Anthony had been born in the house and spent a number of years living there so I asked him in.

'He had a really good look around the house and he was delighted I'd invited him in. At one point his wife revealed that Sir Anthony would be interested in buying the house off me. I made a joke about it at the time but I if they do make an offer I'll definitely have to consider it.'

After his impromptu tour Anthony then further surprised Chris and his family - whose daughter Poppy now sleeps in the room where the actor was born - by inviting them to visit him and his wife at his home in Malibu, California.

Chris told The Sun newspaper: 'He said he would send us a postcard with the details of his place in LA. He said we could visit.

'He was really thrilled to have a quick look around our place - he said it made his New Year.'

Anthony spent the first 12 years of his life in the house and had his first acting experience in the YMCA in Port Talbot and has previously said he took inspiration for his Oscar-winning portrayal of cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter in the 1991 thriller 'The Silence of the Lambs' from experiences of going to the town's dentist.