| Colin Farrell | |
|---|---|
Farrell at the premiere of Ondine at the Tribeca Film Festival, April 28, 2010 |
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| Born | Colin James Farrell 31 May 1976 Dublin, Ireland |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Spouse | Amelia Warner (2001; divorced) |
| Partner | Kim Bordenave (2002–03; 1 child) Alicja Bachleda-Curus (2009–2010; 1 child |
| Website | |
| Official site | |
Colin James Farrell (born 31 May 1976) is an Irish actor, who has appeared in such film as Tigerland, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, The Recruit, Alexander and S.W.A.T.. In 2008 he received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his role in In Bruges.
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Farrell was born in Dublin, the son of Rita (née Monaghan), a housewife, and Eamon Farrell, a footballer who played for Shamrock Rovers F.C. and owned a company importing and exporting canned goods in Dublin City.[1][2] He was raised Roman Catholic.[3][4] His uncle Tommy Farrell also played for Rovers. Farrell has two sisters, Claudine (who is his personal assistant)[5] and Catherine, and a brother, Eamon Jr. When he was ten, the Farrells moved to Castleknock, a Dublin suburb.[6] Farrell was educated at St. Brigid's National School Castleknock followed by Castleknock College and Gormanston College. Farrell unsuccessfully auditioned for the Irish group Boyzone when he was still unknown.[7] Farrell attended The Gaiety School of Acting, but dropped out and was cast in the part of Danny Byrne on Ballykissangel, a BBC television drama. Farrell appeared on the show seven times from 1998 to 1999. He was inspired to try acting after being brought to tears while watching E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.[8]
Farrell had small parts in television shows and films, including the BBC drama Ballykissangel in 1998, and his film debut in Tim Roth's The War Zone.[9] In 2000, he was cast in the lead role of Private Roland Bozz in Tigerland, an American film directed by Joel Schumacher. Farrell's next American films, American Outlaws (2001) and Hart's War (2002), were not commercially successful, but his 2003 films, including Phone Booth, S.W.A.T., and The Recruit were well-received box office successes. Although he has a pronounced Irish accent, Farrell uses an American accent in some of his films including American Outlaws and his breakthrough role, Tigerland.
Farrell roles as a supporting actor include his performances as an ambitious cop who chases after a potential criminal, played by actor Tom Cruise, in Minority Report (2002), and as the skilled villain Bullseye in Daredevil (2003). Matt Damon was originally offered the Minority Report role but he turned it down to appear in Ocean's Eleven.[10] Farrell said "he had no problem" that people knew he was the producer's fall back pick after Damon declined.[11] The character of Bullseye is that of an assassin with perfect accuracy and deep-rooted pride of it. Farrell was attached to this role in December 2001, though initially he was considered for the lead role as Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil, until Ben Affleck signed.[12] Farrell was encouraged to keep his Irish accent as this version of Bullseye is from Ireland.[13] Farrell had to read into Frank Miller's Daredevil comics to understand Bullseye "because the expression on the character's faces in the comic books, and just the way they move sometimes, and the exaggerations of the character I'm playing […] he's so over-the-top that you do draw from that. But it's not exactly a character you can do method acting for... you know, running around New York killing people with paper clips."[14]
In late 2003, Farrell starred as a criminal who plots a bank heist with Cillian Murphy in the comedy Intermission, which held the record as highest-grossing Irish independent film in Irish box office history until 2006.[15] In 2004, Farrell appeared in several independent films that received only a limited theatrical release in most countries, including A Home at the End of the World, which received some positive reviews.[16][17] Farrell appeared in the title role of Alexander the Great in Oliver Stone's 2004 biopic Alexander, which, while receiving some favorable reviews internationally, received mostly mediocre and negative reviews in the United States.[18] It was marked by controversy for portraying the ancient conqueror as bisexual, and received criticism from some historians for its portrayal of the ancient Persians,[19] though others praised it for its accuracy in these regards as well.[20][21] The movie grossed a total of $167 million worldwide, despite its poor showing within the United States, just exceeding its budget of $155 million.[22]
Farrell's next film was 2005's Academy Award-nominated The New World, also a historical epic that was met with mixed reviews.[23] Farrell played the leading role of Captain John Smith, the founder of 17th century colonial Jamestown, Virginia who falls in love with a beautiful Native American princess, Pocahontas, played by Q'Orianka Kilcher. The film received positive reviews, despite being released in only 811 theaters worldwide and having a relatively low box office gross.[24][25]
The New World was followed by Ask the Dust, a romance film set in period Los Angeles and co-starring Salma Hayek. It received a very limited theatrical release and was not a financial success.[26] 2006 brought more success in Farrell's career, as he appeared opposite Jamie Foxx in Michael Mann's action-crime film Miami Vice. The film was a box office success grossing a total of US $164 million worldwide.[27] Farrell was next seen in Woody Allen's Cassandra's Dream, which premiered in 2007 and was distributed in the U.S. in early 2008. Farrell's next film, Martin McDonagh's In Bruges, opened the Sundance Film Festival in 2008; Farrell received his first Golden Globe nomination and win for his role as Ray, a hired hitman. Shortly thereafter, he appeared in Kicking It, a documentary following six homeless men from different countries as they attempt to qualify for the Homeless World Cup. Farrell appeared on screen and provided narration. The film released simultaneously in theaters and television, airing on ESPN2 with a very short window to DVD release. Farrell received positive press for his involvement in the heartwarming true-life tale, and enthusiastic reviews for the two dramatic roles that preceded it.
On 11 January 2009, he won the Golden Globe award for Best Actor: Musical or Comedy for his role in In Bruges, in which he co-starred with Brendan Gleeson. The same year, he starred in Terry Gilliam's film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, alongside Christopher Plummer. He was one of the actors, along with Johnny Depp and Jude Law, who helped complete the late Heath Ledger's role after he died before filming ended. They all played "Imaginarium" versions of Ledger's character Tony. He also took a supporting role as Tommy Sweet in Crazy Heart, alongside Academy Award-winning Jeff Bridges.
2010 saw the release of Ondine, a fantasy-drama directed by Neil Jordan, which stars Farrell as a fisherman. It also saw him star opposite Keira Knightley in the crime / romance London Boulevard. The film was directed by William Monahan, screenplay writer of The Departed and Body of Lies.
Farrell starred in the 2011 comedy movie Horrible Bosses, with Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman and Jason Sudeikis, directed by Seth Gordon. The film focuses on a trio of employees who plot to murder their titular tyrannical supervisors.[28] Later that year, Farrell played the lead role in the Fright Night remake.[29] Farrell joined Anton Yelchin, David Tennant, and Toni Collette in this story about a charismatic vampire who moves in next to a high school student. The film was released by Dreamworks, with Craig Gillespie having directed.
Farrell is involved in a film adaptation of Flann O'Brien's metafictional novel At Swim-Two-Birds alongside Cillian Murphy and Gabriel Byrne. Actor Brendan Gleeson will direct the film, which was scheduled for release in 2010.[30] In October 2009, however, Gleeson expressed fear that, should the Irish Film Board be abolished as planned by the Irish State, the production may fall through.[31]
Additionally, Farrell began filming Columbia Pictures' Total Recall remake in May 2011, and will film until the end of September 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Len Wiseman will direct the film, a new take on the Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi picture about a sleeper agent who is compelled to travel to a colony on Mars. Kurt Wimmer (Salt) wrote the script, which like the original is based on the Philip K. Dick story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale."[32]
Farrell has also been announced to be starring alongside Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke and Christopher Walken in Seven Psychopaths, written and directed by Martin McDonagh (In Bruges).[33]
Colin Farrell was reportedly married to English actress Amelia Warner from July 2001 to November 2001.[34] However, in December 2011, Amelia Warner said that the marriage ceremony was not legal. [35]
Colin and US model Kim Bordenave became parents of James Padraig Farrell, born 12 September 2003, in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles. In October 2007, Farrell revealed that his son has Angelman Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder characterized by intellectual and developmental delay.[36]
Farrell and Ondine co-star Alicja Bachleda-Curus have a son, Henry Tadeusz Farrell, born on 7 October 2009[37] Farrell left Bachleda a couple of months after the birth of their child.[38]
Farrell had reportedly grown very close to Elizabeth Taylor shortly before her death and was one of the few non-family members to attend her private funeral.[39] He recited the poem The Leaden Echo and The Golden Echo by Gerard Manley Hopkins at her funeral, requested by Taylor herself.
In 2005, Dame Eileen Atkins – who was 70 at the time – revealed on Loose Women that a "stunningly gorgeous big film star" spent nearly three hours propositioning her for "sex with no strings".[40] The "star" was later revealed to be Farrell, whom Atkins had acted alongside in the film Ask the Dust. Atkins claimed she was tempted, but turned him down because he is 42 years her junior.[41] Farrell did not comment initially, although since he has admitted to and joked about it on chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.
In December 2005, Farrell voluntarily checked into a rehabilitation treatment center for addictions to recreational drugs and painkillers.[42] His publicist commented that Farrell had started taking painkillers due to a back injury.
In July 2006, Farrell filed a lawsuit suing his former girlfriend, Playboy model Nicole Narain, and the Internet Commerce Group (ICG) over the unauthorised public distribution of a 14-minute sex tape that Farrell made with Narain in 2003.[43] It was leaked to Schmidt and ICG who tried to release it publicly. A Los Angeles judge issued an injunction barring the sale, distribution, or display of the tape.
Narain claimed that she did not give the tape to anyone and was not sure if or how copies were taken from her. She originally said that she would work with Farrell to ensure that it remained private, but Farrell said that Narain, along with Schmidt, was trying to release it in order to damage his acting career and "make money out of it", which Narain denies.[44][45]
A trial date for the Narain lawsuit was set for 17 July 2006, but the judge allowed Farrell and Nicole to mediate until 20 April. On 16 April, the two reached a settlement with confidential terms. However, Farrell's lawsuit against ICG continued with a trial date set for 21 July 2006.[46]
Farrell has been sued twice for alleged harassment and sending foul messages to telephone sex worker Dessarae Bradford. The lawsuits were later dismissed due to a lack of evidence provided by Bradford.[47][48] Bradford, who has announced that she is "waging war on Colin Farrell", has recorded a song entitled "Colin Farrell is My Bitch" and has self-published a book called Colin Farrell: A Dark Twisted Puppy.[47]
Bradford failed a lie detector test on an i TV program in an attempt to support her claims and stories.[49]
On 20 July 2006, as Farrell was being interviewed by Jay Leno on the set of The Tonight Show, Bradford evaded security, walked on stage as cameras were rolling, confronted Farrell, and threw her book on Leno's desk. In front of a silent, stunned audience, Farrell escorted her off the stage himself, told the camera crew to stop filming, and handed her over to security. As Bradford was led out of the studio, she shouted "I'll see you in court." Farrell's response was, "Darling, you're insane!" Outside the studio, NBC security handed her to Burbank police, who eventually released her. After Farrell apologised to the audience, describing Bradford as "my first stalker", the show then continued filming and the incident was edited out of the broadcast aired that night.[48] The following day, Farrell obtained a restraining order against Bradford.[50]
Farrell was named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2003.[51] He was also voted sixth in the World's "Sexiest Man" contest by Company magazine that same year.[52]
In 2007, Farrell joined other celebrities to become an official games spokesman for the Special Olympics World Games in Shanghai, China.[53]
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1996 | The Disappearance of Finbar | Extra | Uncredited |
| 1997 | Drinking Crude | Click | |
| 1999 | The War Zone | Nick | credited as Colin J. Farrell |
| 2000 | Ordinary Decent Criminal | Alec | |
| Tigerland | Pvt. Roland Bozz | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor London Film Critics Award for Newcomer of the Year |
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| 2001 | American Outlaws | Jesse James | |
| 2002 | Hart's War | Lt. Thomas W. Hart | |
| Minority Report | Danny Witwer | Nominated: Empire Award for Best Actor | |
| Phone Booth | Stu Shepard | Theatrical release was delayed due to the Beltway sniper attacks in October 2002.[54] | |
| 2003 | The Recruit | James Douglas Clayton | |
| Daredevil | Bullseye | ||
| Veronica Guerin | Tattooed Boy | Cameo Based on true story of Irish journalist Veronica Guerin |
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| S.W.A.T. | Jim Street | Based on the 1970s television series S.W.A.T.. Nominated: Irish Film & Television Award for Best Actor |
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| Intermission | Lehiff | Nominated: European Film Awards Audience Award for Best Actor Nominated: Irish Film & Television Award for Best Supporting Actor |
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| 2004 | A Home at the End of the World | Bobby Morrow (1982) | Based on the novel A Home at the End of the World (1990) by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Cunningham. Nominated: Irish Film & Television Award for Best Actor |
| Alexander | Alexander the Great | Directed by Oliver Stone | |
| 2005 | The New World | Captain John Smith | Directed by Terrence Malick |
| 2006 | Ask the Dust | Arturo Bandini | Based on the novel Ask the Dust (1939) by John Fante. |
| Miami Vice | Det. James "Sonny" Crockett | Based on the 1980s television series Miami Vice. Nominated: Irish Film & Television Award for Best Actor |
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| 2007 | Cassandra's Dream | Terry | Directed by Woody Allen. |
| 2008 | In Bruges | Ray | Debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2008.[55] Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated: British Independent Film Award for Best Actor Nominated: Irish Film & Television Award for Best Actor |
| Kicking It | Narrator (Himself) | Documentary | |
| Pride and Glory | Jimmy Egan | ||
| 2009 | Ondine | Syracuse | Irish Film & Television Award for Best Actor San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor |
| Triage | Mark Walsh | (Released on DVD in Europe under the title Shell Shock.) Based on the novel Triage by American veteran war correspondent Scott Anderson. Directed by Danis Tanović.[15] |
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| Crazy Heart | Tommy Sweet | ||
| The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus | Tony (3rd Transformation) | Cast alongside Johnny Depp and Jude Law after the death of Heath Ledger to play different portrayals of Tony, Ledger's character.[56] | |
| 2010 | The Way Back | Valka | Directed by Peter Weir |
| London Boulevard | Mitchell | ||
| 2011 | Horrible Bosses | Bobby Pellitt | Pending - Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture |
| Fright Night | Jerry Dandridge | ||
| 2012 | Total Recall | Doug Quaid / Hauser | Post-Production |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1998–1999 | Ballykissangel | Danny Byrne | |
| 1998 | Falling for a Dancer | Daniel McCarthey | Adaptation of the Deirdre Purcell novel |
| 2005 | Scrubs | Billy Callaghan | Season 4, episode 14: "My Lucky Charm" |
| Saturday Night Live | Himself | Host | |
| 2005, 2007 | Family Guy | Himself | Season 4, episode 8: Interviewed by Stewie during a cutaway gag. Season 6, episode 3: Murdered by Stewie during a cutaway gag. |
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | Won | Best Actor | Tigerland |
| 2002 | Shanghai International Film Festival | Won | Best Actor | Hart's War |
| 2003 | Irish Film and Television Awards | Won | Best Actor in a Film (Public vote) |
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| London Critics Circle Film Awards | Won | British Newcomer of the Year | Tigerland | |
| Teen Choice Awards | Won | Choice Movie Villain | Daredevil | |
| 2004 | MTV Movie Awards, Mexico | Won | Best Actor in a Movie | S.W.A.T. |
| 2009 | Golden Globe Award | Won | Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical | In Bruges |
| 2010 | Irish Film and Television Awards | Won | Best Actor in a Film | Ondine |
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