Analysis of Anthony Hopkins' acting in a scene from Westworld S01E04

[Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum]

In https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kSGkGKwp9U , nerdwriter analyzes Anthony Hopkins' acting in a scene from Westworld S01E04. nerdwriter slows down different bits of the scene and replays them, pausing to explain how Hopkins cycles through different emotions.

> Teresa Cullen: We want to protect your legacy
>
> Robert Ford: My legacy. [pause]
>
> nerdwriter: Okay that pause is fully 7 seconds long and it is amazing. After reacting in disbelief at such a shameless euphemism, Hopkins, in silence, cycles through a few emotions. First, disbelief. Then, a consideration of the words for a split second at their face value. Maybe he should safeguard his legacy. Maybe he shouldn't be so ambitious at his age. Then, a smile. And this scene will feature several shades of smile. This one is kind -- as kind as can be in the face of what he considers to be an attack, one that insults his intelligence. As he looks down and chuckles, the smile seems to acquire some suppressed anger. He can only bear to look at her in quick glances as he composes himself. Then, he fires back an antagonistic remark.

I'm not convinced by all of nerdwriter's interpretations of Hopkins' emotions. But the idea of watching someone in slow motion and trying to understand each change of facial expression or body language was new and interesting to me.