In Ben Pearson’s exclusive oral history of “The Mask of Zorro” for /Film, screenwriter Terry Rossio, who shares a writing credit with his longtime writing partner Ted Elliott and John Eskow, disclosed that Hopkins stepped forward during pre-production and said, “There’s a scene missing.” As Rossio told Pearson:
“Hopkins pointed out there was not a scene where Diego de la Vega got to speak with his daughter Elena alone, one on one, with him not able to reveal the truth. ‘It’s like two ends of a triangle haven’t been connected,’ he said, and he was right. That led to us writing another scene in the stable, the one where the horse is groomed. Diego and Elena are able to connect as adults on an emotional level, and of course it’s an absolutely necessary scene.”
It’s a beautifully written moment where de la Vega, posing as a nobleman, walks right up to the line of telling Elena the truth, going so far as to say she is very much like her mother. Elena, who is fond of Hopkins’ nobleman, finds this an odd statement, so de la Vega deftly maintains his cover by noting that she is nothing like her father; ergo, she must be her mother’s daughter. And when he learns that Montero has described Elena’s mother as a “proper” woman, it hits him that he is the only person who knows the actual truth. And so he realizes his mission is not just one of revenge, but a righteous act of salvation.
His final scene with Elena and Alejandro wouldn’t be nearly as effective without this moment, and that’s why you hire Sir Anthony Hopkins should the opportunity arise.