Anthony Hopkins hails Chadwick Boseman in Oscars speech from Wales

Olivia Colman as Anne and Anthony Hopkins as Anthony in The Father (Lionsgate Films/Sean Gleason/PA)

Anthony Hopkins has paid tribute to Chadwick Boseman after securing his second Oscar win.

The 83-year-old was named best actor for his role in The Father, directed by Florian Zeller, in which he plays an ageing man struggling with memory loss.

Black Panther star Boseman, who died in August last year aged 43 following a private four-year battle with colon cancer, had been tipped to win the prize for his performance as an ambitious trumpeter in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

However, Hopkins, originally from Port Talbot in South Wales, claimed the gong, becoming the oldest person to win an Academy Award for acting.

He did not attend the ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday night but shared an acceptance speech on Monday morning, which was filmed in Wales, where he is on holiday.

In the short clip, he expressed shock at winning the award and paid tribute to Boseman.

He said: “Good morning. Here I am in my homeland in Wales, and at 83 years of age I did not expect to get this award, I really didn’t.

Chadwick Boseman (Ian West/PA)

“Very grateful to the Academy and thank you, and I want to pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman, who was taken from us far too early.

“And again thank you all very much. Really did not expect this, so I feel very privileged and honoured. Thank you.”

Hopkins won the best actor prize at the Baftas earlier this month and also accepted the award from Wales.

Speaking at the time he said his family had gone on a “long vacation” after receiving their vaccinations.

“So we’re in Wales having a quiet time and are very grateful to everyone so that is where we will be,” he said.

Hopkins won his first Oscar in 1992 for his performance in The Silence Of The Lambs.