More than a decade after his first appearance as Odin in Thor of 2011, Anthony Hopkins talks about his experience in the cinematic universe Marvel. While many will always remember the actor for his role as Hannibal Lecter, it is undeniable that there is a new generation of viewers who identify him with the father of Thor.

The actor, a true icon of great cinema, played Odin in Thor of 2011, Thor: The Dark World of 2013 and Thor: Ragnarok of 2017, although he recently described his experience rather disparagingly.

On The New Yorker in an expansive piece about how the Marvel Cinematic Universe has “swallowed” Hollywood as a whole, many statements by great actors involved in the franchise are reported, even in non-prominent roles, but as illustrious supporting actors. Among others is a statement by Hopkins that says: “They put me in armour; they gave me a beard. Sitting on the throne, shouting a little. If you’re sitting in front of a green screen, it’s a futile acting effort.”

No doubt his limited franchise experience has precluded him from the more emotionally demanding aspects of the roles Marvellike the ones we’ve seen fielded by Robert Downey Jr. or from Scarlett Johanssonfor example, but it is undeniable that for an actor who makes human contact and exchange on stage an important element of his performance, acting with the green screen must have been limiting.