Whenever more than one actor portrays the same character in different works of entertainment it’s inevitable that audiences and dedicated fans will draw comparisons between the two. Especially when that particular character is iconic enough to be regularly quoted well after the original work debuted. One such character that definitely hits this description squarely is Dr. Hannibal Lecter, also known by the name “Hannibal the Cannibal” of The Silence of the Lambs fame. The role was originally made famous by Anthony Hopkins and his performance as Lecter which earned the actor an Oscar back in 1992 for Best Actor. It’s truly an incredible performance that gets under the audience’s skin and haunts their consciousness long after the credits have rolled. Perhaps lesser-known by the general public is the performance of the same character by Mads Mikkelsen in NBC’s horror television series, Hannibal.
There are many differences in Mikkelsen’s performance compared to Hopkins’, with one playing up the psychotic tendencies of the cannibalistic Doctor post-capture by the FBI and the other leaning more heavily into the sophisticated, elegant personality of the character in his days as an active killer. While both are excellent portrayals, which one is truly the best version of this character and who ultimately deserves the title of Best Cannibal? To understand the answer, a closer look is required for both.
There are two elements to Anthony Hopkins’ performance in The Silence of the Lambs that make it so memorable for audiences: His voice and his facial expressions. His voice is a huge part of convincing viewers that he is a true psychopath throughout all of the subsequent films that follow. He’s able to turn on a dime from sounding educated and sincere into a cold, dissecting, and inhuman presence. Hopkins can also sound vicious once his Lecter is able to identify a point of sensitivity in those he speaks with, as he does with Clarice, adding a slight rasp to his delivery that makes him seep pure evil. That’s when his expressions come in to help deliver the knockout.
Anthony Hopkins brings a certain stare that is not quite glaring but never blinks to Dr. Lecter. He is quite literally examining a person in the way that a microscope would, with unflinching scrutiny that breaks them down to their most base elements. It’s also the part of him that hints as to the more savage parts of his personality, a hint that at any moment he could go wild and rip a person to shreds. It’s what makes him so unnerving to many and what’s confirmed in moments like when he bites part of the face off of one of the police guarding his cell.
He’s also motivated by self-interest, which is what makes Dr. Lecter such an interesting character. The audience sees in Red Dragon and The Silence of the Lambs that Dr. Lecter will help Will Graham and Clarice Starling not because he knows it’s the right thing to do, but because he finds these investigators fascinating and delights in toying with their mental states. He’s helping because it stimulates him intellectually. The world also knows from the drawings within his cell as well as dinner parties that are referenced that he is cultured, finding enjoyment in different forms of art.
Mads Mikkelsen is an incredible actor, but his work as Dr. Hannibal Lecter may be his most nuanced performance to date. This version of the character is interesting in different ways than the one shown in The Silence of the Lambs, while still staying faithful to the character’s core. The audience is able to see how he operates in many aspects that are only touched on in the movies.
For example, Hannibal’s role as a psychiatrist. Instead of brief scenes in films to remind the viewer that Lecter was a psychiatrist before his capture, the television series spends a large chunk of time inside of Lecter’s office. It’s here that the show really allows Mikkelsen to shine in the role. He’s seen at times helping his patients, but at others manipulating them or even driving them insane. He’s wildly intelligent and charismatic but can turn to terrifying at the drop of a hat, which makes his character more realistic than Hopkins’ portrayal.
Mikkelsen’s portrayal feels more real because of the way he charms those around him. He’s friendly and clever. He’s unquestionably elegant, typically sporting three-piece suits and never having a single hair out of place. Mikkelsen also gets to show off Lecter’s culinary expertise, preparing meals that look so appetizing the audience has to constantly remind themselves not to get hungry as he’s usually cooking human parts. Where Hopkins’ portrayal of the character openly delights in the torment of those around him, Mikkelsen is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. His approach is to silently cause the chaos around his victims and manipulate their downfall from the shadows.
While Anthony Hopkins may always be the better known of the two Dr. Lecters for all time, Mads Mikkelsen’s portrayal simply feels more real. This isn’t to say anything negative of Hopkins’ version; he’s absolutely incredible. It’s just that Mikkelsen’s Dr. Lecter is ultimately more fully formed. The audience sees his many facets, and they see him try to love as well as hurt those around him. He’s not just a presence that helps drive the plot along in fascinating ways, this is a Dr. Lecter that is a complete person as well as a force of nature. He’s terrifying for different reasons, and more so than Hopkins because of the feeling of realism that brings.
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