Anthony Hopkins addresses ex-wife's reaction to affair in sad marriage admission

Anthony Hopkins has been happily married to his third wife, Stella Arroyave, since 2003. Before this, the two-time Oscar winner had been married twice, first to Petronella Barker and then to Jennifer Lynton. In his new memoir, We Did Ok, Kid, the Welsh-born actor made a bombshell admission about his second marriage, admitting his then partner had turned a "blind eye to whatever I was up to".

Jennifer, 81, was Anthony's second wife, following his rocky marriage to actress Petronella from 1966 until 1972, which ended over his struggles with alcoholism and leaving the family home they shared with his young daughter. The 87-year-old went on to marry Jennifer in 1973, and the couple divorced after nearly 30 years of marriage. But in a bombshell admission, Anthony confessed to "my infidelities".

In his book, per People, the Silence of the Lambs star wrote: "She turned a blind eye to whatever I was up to. It was only years later that she knew about my infidelities. I don't know whether she took a lover too. I rather hope she did. I would never blame her for it."

"It would be some consolation to know that she found some happiness in those years in spite of me," Anthony continued. "It was sad because she deserved better than me, she really did. She brought a change in my life, and I blew it. I take full responsibility for that."

He further confessed that he "did not make it easy on her" during their nearly 30-year marriage, saying "she'd caught a tiger by the tail."

The legendary actor's memoir chronicles his life, from his troubled childhood in Wales to his high-flying Hollywood career.

The on-screen star also opened up about his estrangement from his only daughter, Abigail, 57, whom he shares with his first wife, Petronella.

The father and daughter have been estranged for more than 20 years, with the actor previously admitting he has "not been a good father".

Anthony left his family one night in the throes of alcoholism; Abigail was just one at the time. He and Barker divorced not long afterwards, in 1972.

The actor and his daughter previously attempted a reconciliation, but they have not been on speaking terms for two decades.

He writes that "after realising I was unfit as a father for Abigail, I vowed not to have any more children... I couldn't do to another child what I'd done to her".