Trump’s Hannibal Lecter remarks leave Anthony Hopkins ‘shocked and appalled’

Actor Anthony Hopkins says he is “shocked and appalled” by former President Trump’s comments about fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter, whom Hopkins won an Oscar portraying in the 1991 movie “The Silence of the Lambs.”

“Hannibal, that’s a long time ago that movie,” Hopkins said in a Deadline interview published Tuesday in response to hearing about Trump’s remarks. “God, that was over 30 years ago. I’m shocked and appalled what you’ve told me about Trump.”

Trump has repeatedly praised Lecter, calling him “a wonderful man.”

In a campaign speech in New Jersey earlier this year, Trump segued from an unsubstantiated claim about migrants coming from “insane asylums” to the discussing the cannibal psychiatrist, who was created by novelist Thomas Harris.

“Has anyone ever seen ‘The Silence of the Lambs’? The late, great Hannibal Lecter. He’s a wonderful man. He oftentimes would have a friend for dinner. Remember the last scene? ‘Excuse me, I’m about to have a friend for dinner,’ as this poor doctor walked by. ‘I’m about to have a friend for dinner.’ But Hannibal Lecter. Congratulations. The late, great Hannibal Lecter,” Trump said at the earlier rally.

He then went back to talking about migrants.

“We have people that have been released into our country that we don’t want in our country, and they’re coming in totally unchecked, totally unvetted. And we can’t let this happen. They’re destroying our country, and we’re sitting back,” Trump continued. “And we better damn well win this election, because if we don’t, our country is going to be doomed. It’s going to be doomed.”

The Hill has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.