Anthony Hopkins has paid a tribute to acclaimed composer George Fenton, remembering not only his extraordinary musical talent but also his warmth and generosity as a friend.
MUMBAI — Actor Anthony Hopkins has paid a tribute to acclaimed composer George Fenton, remembering not only his extraordinary musical talent but also his warmth and generosity as a friend.
Hopkins took to Instagram, where he shared a picture of Fenton and said that he gave him confidence when he had little of his own and thanked the late composer for believing in his music before he dared to believe in it himself.
“George possessed an extraordinary musical gift, but what I will remember just as deeply was his generosity. He could have spoken to me as the accomplished composer he was. Instead, he spoke to me as a friend. He encouraged rather than instructed,” Hopkins wrote in the caption.
He added: “He gave me confidence when I had very little of my own. I have never forgotten that kindness, and I never will. George, my dear friend, thank you for believing in the music before I had the courage to believe in it myself. Rest in Peace, my dear friend.George Fenton. October 19, 1949 - October 5, 2026.”
Fenton frequently collaborated with the directors Richard Attenborough, Nora Ephron, Alastair Fothergill, Stephen Frears, Nicholas Hytner, Ken Loach, Andy Tennant, Neil Jordan and Terry Gilliam.
Fenton was notable for his film scores for Gandhi, Cry Freedom, Dangerous Liaisons, Groundhog Day, The Fisher King, Dangerous Beauty, You've Got Mail, Sweet Home Alabama and Hitch. He was also known for composing the scores for documentary films for David Attenborough such as Planet Earth, Frozen Planet and Wild Isles.
He received five Academy Award nominations, several Ivor Novello, BAFTA, Golden Globe, Emmy and BMI Awards, and a Classic BRIT. He was one of the few songwriters and composers to have been made a Fellow of the Ivors Academy (formally BASCA).