Director Roland Emmerich has revealed it was “terrifying” working with Anthony Hopkins on Prime Video’s latest series Those About To Die.
The acclaimed director has worked with a wide variety of Hollywood celebrities, including Mel Gibson, Will Smith and Jake Gyllenhaal, but Anthony Hopkins made the Independence Day director extremely nervous.
The 68-year-old German filmmaker shared that he had so much respect for the two-time Academy Award winner that he was incredibly nervous to meet with him over Zoom to discuss the project.
Emmerich said Forbes‘I was more nervous when I met him than when I met Mel Gibson.’
She went on to explain how pleasant it was to work with Anthony: “He was a delight, very cooperative and very easy to deal with.”
Director Roland Emmerich has revealed it was “terrifying” to work with Anthony Hopkins (pictured) on Prime Video’s latest series Those About To Die
The director told Forbes: “I was more nervous when I met him than when I met Mel Gibson” (pictured from The Continental series)
New drama series Those About To Die received mostly positive reviews from fans on Friday, with some comparing it to Game Of Thrones, while others described it as a “low-budget Spartacus”.
The Peacock show, which aired its first episode on July 18, is an epic swords-and-sandals television series developed by Robert Rodat and directed by Roland Emmerich and Marco Kreuzpaintner.
The series, starring Anthony Hopkins, was inspired by Daniel P. Mannix’s 1958 book, Those About To Die, which was also the inspiration for the film Gladiator, starring Russell Crowe, 58, as Maximus.
However, on its release date, fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their opinions on the latest series, with some claiming they weren’t fans.
One fan wrote: ‘I was really excited for Those About to Die but it’s a bit rough around the edges… it feels like a bigger budget Xena/Hercules or a lower budget Spartacus.’
Another shared: “I just binged for 10 hours of Peacock’s new series ‘Those About to Die’ and I thought it was okay. The transition between scenes needs some work. Has potential as long as the writing and plots don’t get ruined in later seasons.”
The German filmmaker shared that he had so much respect for the two-time Academy Award winner that he was incredibly nervous to meet with him over Zoom to discuss the project.
The Peacock drama, which aired its first episode on July 18, is an epic swords-and-sandals TV series.
While others claimed they loved the show and even compared the open title sequence to HBO’s iconic series Game Of Thrones.
One fan wrote: “Going to watch Those About To Die. The opening title sequence is brilliant (very Game Of Thrones)”; “Those About To Die has me hooked, they’re catching lions in nets”; “Those About To Die (flame emoji)”; “Those About To Die is SO GOOD.”
The series stars 86-year-old Welsh actor Anthony as the elderly Emperor Vespasian, as well as Iwan Rheon, Jojo Macari and Tom Hughes.
Last year it was announced that Anthony had joined the cast of the Peacock drama.
Vespasian was a Roman emperor who reigned from 69 to 79 AD and during his reign the Flavian Amphitheatre, better known today as the Roman Colosseum, was built.
Those About To Die will be set in the “complex and corrupt” world of gladiatorial competition and will follow an ensemble cast of characters from all walks of life in Roman society.
An official synopsis describes the elderly Vespasian as “despised by the patricians who vie for position in the Empire and seek to supplant his heirs to the throne at the first opportunity they get.”
Anthony won an Oscar in 2021 for his performance in The Father and also won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in the 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs.
However, on its release date, fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their opinions on the latest series, with some claiming they weren’t fans.
While others claimed they loved the show and even compared the opening title sequence to HBO’s iconic series Game Of Thrones.
Roland directed, co-wrote and co-produced the 2022 sci-fi disaster film Moonfall, which was a box office failure after grossing just $67 million worldwide.
The film starring Halle Berry and Patrick Wilson was released in February 2022 and was panned by critics.
Anthony began his acting career in the 1960s and made his film debut in the 1967 British short drama film The White Bus.
He was knighted in 1993 by the late Queen Elizabeth II for his services to the theatre.
He also portrayed Odin in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and starred in the HBO series Westworld.
