French heart throb Gaspard Ulliel says he initially turned down the offer of playing a young Hannibal Lector because he was terrified of following in Sir Anthony Hopkins' footsteps.
The" A Very Long Engagement" actor only accepted the part in the upcoming "Hannibal Rising" after director Peter Webber flew to Paris to convince him he was, uh, perfect for the role of the serial killer.
Gaspard said: "I just thought it was a very risky role. It's a big, popular franchise and a very popular character. And it comes with a lot of expectation from audiences and critics. And following Anthony Hopkins is not an easy thing to do."
