Diana Rigg and Anthony Hopkins Together in London During 1972 National Theatre Season

In September 1972, legendary actors Diana Rigg and Anthony Hopkins were photographed spending time together in London, just months before their acclaimed performance in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth at the National Theatre's Old Vic. Hopkins portrayed Macbeth, while Rigg took on the role of Lady Macbeth in the production directed by Michael Blakemore, which ran from November 1972 to June 1973. The candid images, captured by Ron Burton, include a notable shot of the two walking hand-in-hand down Aquinas Street near Waterloo. At the time, Rigg was already widely recognized for her role as Emma Peel in the television series The Avengers, while Hopkins was an emerging actor beginning to establish the stage presence that would later define his film career. The two also reunited a decade later for a television adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s Little Eyolf on the BBC in 1982. The photographs provide a rare glimpse into the personal interactions of two iconic actors outside of their professional performances, highlighting the camaraderie and connection between Rigg and Hopkins during a significant period in their theatrical careers.