Anthony Hopkins is among the greatest actors to ever perform on stage or on the screen. And now the Welsh actor is starring in an ad that brings a Welsh football team to America's largest football stage.
Hopkins is starring in an ad for SToK cold brew that will air during the Super Bowl. In it, he shows off what it takes to be a great actor, working his way up to playing the role of a lifetime: Wrex the Dragon, the mascot for Wrexham AFC, the team owned by Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.
"The secret is out! For the past few seasons, one of the keys to Wrexham's success has been the singular performance of Wrex the Red Dragon as portrayed by Sir Anthony Hopkins and fueled by SToK Cold Brew Coffee," McElhenney and Reynolds said in a release. "Critics have called his performance 'Moving' and 'Heartfelt' as well as 'Surprisingly acrobatic for an 80-year-old.' We just call him a legend and are forever grateful."
Here is a look of the ad that will air during Super Bowl 58.
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Anthony Hopkins Super Bowl commercial
The ad opens with Hopkins narrating as he prepares himself in front of a mirror.
"To act is to deceive. And to deceive, one must forget oneself," Hopkins says in the ad. "Every metamorphosis is demanding, but to become this beast, well, that requires a little extra kick. Now hear me roar."
Then, Hopkins completes the transformation, putting on the head of Wrex the Dragon. We then see a mascot running around the field and celebrating with fans
"Ironically, it is the cold brew that births the fire-breathing dragon," Hopkins says as he drinks a glass of SToK Cold Brew.
Hopkins has pursued a red dragon before, but he has never been the red dragon before. He reprised his Academy Award-winning role of Hannibal Lecter in the 2002 sequel "Red Dragon," where he assisted Will Graham (Edward Norton) in catching a serial killer who believed himself to be a living embodiment of the Great Red Dragon from William Blake's painting "The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed in Sun."
This is a different type of dragon entirely. Wrex the Dragon is the mascot for Wrexham AFC, which partnered with SToK starting in July 2023. As part of the partnership, the stadium was renamed to SToK Cae Ras, which translates to SToK Racecourse.
"The Big Game is one of the iconic sporting events on the international calendar," Humphrey Ker, Executive Director of Wrexham AFC, said in the press release. "Sir Anthony Hopkins taking on the role of Wrex the Dragon is a sight that many would have thought ridiculous before Rob and Ryan took over the Club, and we love our partners at STōK Cold Brew for their bold approach to make this a reality."
Where is Anthony Hopkins from?
Hopkins was born in Port Talbot, Glamorgan, Wales. That hometown is nearly three hours south of Wrexham, which is nearly at the top of Wales.
When Wrexham won the National League on April 22, 2023, the first league title for the club in 45 years, Hopkins tweeted a congratulatory message at Reynolds, calling him an honorary Welsh man.
You’re now an honorary Welsh boyo. 🏴
— Anthony Hopkins (@AnthonyHopkins) April 23, 2023
Anthony Hopkins favorite football team
Hopkins has not publicly said what his favorite football (soccer) team is, though one would naturally assume it's not Wrexham given the gap between his hometown and Wrexham. There is a club, Port Talbot Town FC, in his hometown.
McElhenney said he was trying to turn Hopkins into the biggest Wrexham fan when the two worked together on "Mythic Quest."
“He is a big supporter,” McElhenney said in an interview with NME. “No he didn’t mention it, but I’m going to make him a supporter. I’ve already sent him a bunch of gear and I’m going to hope that he puts it on and puts it up on his Instagram. We’ll see. We’re buds now.”
