The legendary Oscar winning actor who was really close to playing an evil Driscoll brother in Only Fools and Horses
'It would have been truly terrifying'
Two-time Oscar winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins nearly had a role in Only Fools and Horses, John Challis revealed.
The 83-year-old would have played one of the evil Driscoll brothers – the Peckham equivalent of the Kray Twins.
Danny and Tony Driscoll were two brothers and the local gangsters in the area who appeared in one episode of Only Fools And Horses, Little Problems, and were recurring characters in the spin off The Green, Green Grass.
However, Sir Anthony was busy playing another psychopath – he was shooting Silence of the Lambs at the time which meant he had to turn down the role.
The 1991 American horror film – which also stars Jodie Foster – is regularly cited by critics, film directors and audiences as one of the greatest and most influential films of all time.
But he came this close to starring in Only Fools and Horses, something I’m sure many of us would have loved to have seen.
This is all according to John Challis, 78, who starred as dodgy car dealer Boycie.
He said: “He [Sir Anthony] is a big fan of the show and was really interested in doing it. He would have been fantastic.
“I can imagine those disarming blue eyes staring at Boycie or Del Boy. It would have been truly terrifying.”
Sir Anthony won the 1992 Best Actor Oscar for his performance as Hannibal Lecter and again last month for The Father.
Asked if he might regret not appearing in the BBC sitcom, John joked: “He’s probably thinking ‘if only I did that, I’d have been an even bigger success’ while clutching his Oscar.”
John has launched his own website where fans can purchase Boycie merchandise.
He hopes he will get a chance to return to TV after pal Sue Holderness, 71, who played Boycie’s wife Marlene, landed a role in EastEnders.
John said: “We would love to do something together again.”
