What is Asperger’s? Anthony Hopkins thinks it’s ‘nonsense’

Anthony Hopkins is calling bull on his wife’s armchair diagnosis.

The acclaimed actor, 87, balked when his wife, Stella Arroyave, suggested he has Asperger’s Syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder on the autism spectrum.

“I didn’t know what the hell she was talking about. I don’t even believe it,” he told The Sunday Times, sharing the signs that led Arroyave to her health hypothesis.

“I’m obsessed with numbers. I’m obsessed with detail. I like everything in order. And memorizing. Stella looked it up and she said, ‘You must be Asperger’s,’” he said.

“Well, I guess I’m cynical because it’s all nonsense. It’s all rubbish. ADHD, OCD, Asperger’s, blah, blah, blah,” he went on.

“Oh God, it’s called living. It’s just being a human being, full of tangled webs and mysteries and stuff that’s in us. Full of warts and grime and craziness, it’s the human condition. All these labels. I mean, who cares? But now it’s fashion.”

What are the symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome?

Once its own diagnosis, Asperger’s Syndrome is now recognized under the broader autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

ASD is defined by challenges with social communication. Some hallmarks include feeling awkward in social situations, having difficulty understanding the feelings and thoughts of others, a preference for being alone, struggles with making friends, and trouble understanding social rules.

Repetitive or restrictive behaviors — like following the same routine every day, noticing small details that others wouldn’t, and having very intense and specific interests — are also potential signs of autism.

An only child, Hopkins shared that he struggled to make friends at boarding school or in his hometown of Port Talbot, Wales.

“I couldn’t fit in. Everything was alien. I didn’t want to play with the other kids on the street.”

He described his younger self as a “quarrelsome, moody, loner” and speaks to his long-standing aversion to awards shows; he didn’t want to attend the Oscars in 1992 when he won Best Actor for The Silence of the Lambs, and he slept through his second Oscar win for The Father in 2021. 

What makes Asperger’s different than other autism diagnoses?

While Asperger’s used to be a separate diagnosis, it is now part of the umbrella of autism spectrum disorder.

Historically, Asperger’s has been associated with milder symptoms and more developed language and cognitive skills.

The primary difference from other types of autism the absence of language delays. Those who had previously been diagnosed with Asperger’s struggled socially and may have had difficulty fitting in with their peers, but had strong language skills.

For this reason and for years, Asperger’s patients were diagnosed as “high functioning.”

While the average age of diagnosis for a child with autism is four, a person with Asperger’s may not have received a diagnosis until later in life.

How common is Asperger’s? And how is it diagnosed?

One in every 45 adults in the US is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder — or about 1.85% of the population, according to Autism Speaks.

Historically, it’s been easier to identify autism in males than in females because men tend to exhibit more overt symptoms.

Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) hinges on descriptions of development and a professional’s observation of the patient’s behavior.

Do people still use the term “Asperger’s”?

Some patients who received a diagnosis of Asperger’s continue to use this term when referring to themselves.

Others choose not to, either because the term is no longer in use in an official capacity and/or because the Austrian psychiatrist Hans Asperger, after whom Asperger syndrome was named, was complicit with the Nazis.

How is Asperger’s treated?

There is no cure for Asperger’s or ASD, but treatments such as speech or physical therapy, behavioral interventions, or medications may help with symptoms.

While ASD can be diagnosed at any age, it typically presents within the first two years of life. However, many find relief and affirmation through a late-life diagnosis.