Hopkins' love repaid by Hollywood

The Welshman, who has made his home in Los Angeles, was presented with the award by actress Gwyneth Paltrow at the ceremony in the city.

The 67-year-old won an Oscar for his chilling role as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs.

He has also been nominated for six Golden Globes since 1978.

Sir Anthony paid tribute to actress Gwyneth Paltrow - who plays his daughter in his latest film Proof - after she presented him with the Cecil B DeMille award for lifetime achievement.

"I'm not ready to go yet - ready when you are Mr DeMille! Sir Anthony Hopkins

During his acceptance speech, he told the audience at the 63rd annual awards on Monday: "I've been around a long time and I never expected this. This industry has been really good to me."

Sir Anthony from Port Talbot, south Wales. said he had worked with some great stars and, waving his Golden Globe in the air, added: "I'm not ready to go yet - ready when you are Mr DeMille!"

Paltrow, who last week was reported to have confirmed that she was pregnant with her second child with husband Coldplay front man Chris Martin, wore a flowing white gown revealing what appeared to be a prominent bump.

Globes win for Brokeback Mountain

Elsewhere in the awards, presented every year by Hollywood's foreign press, the movies Brokeboke Mountain and the Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line were the big winners.

Brokeback Mountain, the story of gay love between two cowboys, picked up the Golden Globes for best film, best screenplay and best director while Walk The Line co-star Joaquin Phoenix, who played Cash, was named best actor,

Along with Sir Anthony, Rachel Weisz was another winner, although fellow Britons Keira Knightley and Dame Judi Dench went home empty-handed.

Weisz won a best supporting actress award for her portrayal of a pregnant activist in political thriller The Constant Gardener.