Anthony Hopkins reveals the terrifying moment he realised he was an alcoholic

'On that fatal day, I realised I needed help'

The Oscar-winning actor will celebrate 50 years of sobriety in December.

The actor opened up about his alcoholism and spoke about the terrifying moment he was driving drunk behind the wheel.

Speaking on The New York Times' The Interview, Anthony shared: "I was drunk and driving my car here in California in a blackout, no clue where I was going, when I realised that I could have killed somebody.

"Or myself, which I didn’t care about."

He went on to say that he 'could have killed a family' which eventually led him to realise he was an alcoholic and had to 'come to his senses'.

Following this realisation, Anthony decided to seek help and eventually beat his addiction with a 12-step program.

Last December, Anthony took to Instagram to celebrate his 49th year sober, admitting he had 'realised he was in big trouble'.

He said: "On that fatal day, I realised I needed help. So I got it. I phoned up a group of people like me, alcoholics. That was it.

The Hannibal actor said that the last 49 years had been 'fun' as he encouraged those who are struggling to seek help.

"Having fun is wonderful, having a drink is fine, but if you are having a problem with the booze, there is help," he said.

"It’s not a terrible deal, it’s a condition. If you’re allergic to alcohol, get some help.

"There’s plenty of help around."

In the Instagram post, the actor also said he quickly learned that he was 'not unique' and thousands of people struggle when it comes to alcohol.

"I’ve had a wonderful life.

"They still employ me, they still give me jobs. I’m celebrating my life, my exceptionally long life."