Los Angeles, June 29 (IANS): Veteran Hollywood star Anthony Hopkins, who played a dementia patient in "The Father", says his memory is the single most important tool in his life.

Hopkins said: "Once you lose your memory, it must be a living hell to have no anchors left. It's the most powerful and important tool, essential to survival."

He shared that his role in the Florian Zeller-directed drama made him look more closely at his own life, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"I think as you get older, you do go around examining life more. This did make me think about my past and my parents and about all the sweet sadness of it all," Hopkins told Sorted magazine.

The octogenarian feels age has made it easier for him to find happiness in different things.

He said: "I enjoy it all more. I have a laugh now; I like watching old guys on TV, like Sinatra. And they've all gone too, and there's a great victory in recognising death and mortality while I'm here."