In recent years, Colin Farrell has been speaking more openly about his experience of having a child with disabilities, with his eldest son, James, born with Angelman syndrome.
Farrell was 27 years old when James, now 23, was born back in 2003, with the Irish star sharing him with his ex, American model Kim Bordenave.
Kevin Winter / Getty Images
Speaking to People at the time, Farrell explained that in the United States, the cutoff age for the support systems provided for families with children who have additional needs is 21 — which is what inspired him to launch the foundation, which provides support for adults who have intellectual difficulties.
Brianna Bryson / Getty Images
In fact, Farrell noted that he has intense fear over what the future holds for his son, as he admitted that even as a wealthy Hollywood actor, he still struggles to find the help that James needs. He shared: “My fear would be, God forbid, if and when something happens to James’ mother or me, James would be 30 or 40, and then he’d have to go in somewhere. Into some kind of institute or some kind of residential care at 30 or 40, and there’d be nobody there to call over, and take him out, and have lunch and all that.”
“I want the world to be kind to James,” he concluded at the time. “I want the world to treat him with kindness and respect.”
Valerie Macon / Getty Images
In April of last year, Farrell reflected further on his concerns for James’ future in an interview with Candis magazine, where he broke down his and Kim’s decision to place their son in a care facility, even though they are technically still able to look after him themselves.
Aeon / Getty Images
“And one thing I can say about James is that he knows when somebody wants to be with him, and he knows when somebody’s just supposed to be with him,” Farrell went on. “So, if he has a carer or a teacher or somebody who’s doing physical therapy with him and they’re not fully engaged and fully loving with him, he’ll just switch off.”
Kevin Winter / Getty Images
“It’s been a struggle for us to find suitable residential care,” the actor added, referencing his decision to set up his own foundation. “And in realizing that, I thought: ‘If I’m having these difficulties, what about all the other families out there that don’t have anything close to the means that I have?’ I’ve always known I wanted to do something about this, but until now I’ve just been really self-centredly busy in raising my own two kids. But now, they’re up and running, and I feel I have a bit more space to do something. It’s early days for the foundation yet, so we’re still on baby steps.”
Juan Naharro Gimenez / Getty Images
In December, Farrell once again reflected on the fact that despite the overwhelming amount of privilege that he lives with, none of his success as an actor can, for example, make James speak in an “Actors on Actors“ interview with Jessie Buckley.
This clip recently resurfaced on X, where Farrell has been widely praised for the articulate way that he discussed the delicate situation. Speaking to Buckley, Farrell began: “I’m so f**king aware of the amount of privilege that I’ve experienced in my life, and what rare air I fly in regards to what I do for a living, how I’ve been able to provide, all that stuff. I’m really aware, but at the end of the f**king day, there’s nothing I can do in acting, there’s no check I can get that can make James talk, or have language, my oldest boy.”
“We’re all, regardless of the facade, regardless of how the life seems to be, just every T is crossed and every I is dotted ever so perfectly, it’s a mess,” Farrell went on. “And to be given permission to be in the mess and not have the answer. Lean into the mystery, and know that feeling is only destructive when it is attempted to be oppressed or ignored. That’s the only time feeling is really destructive.”
Somebody else added: “From me, this is a powerful reminder that money can solve many problems, but not all of life’s hardest ones. Wishing the best for James and their family.” Another wrote: “It’s heart breaking to see someone you love with your whole being and who you would protect with your life, suffering and you are helpless. Money or no money it is torture every day.”
One more quoted: “‘To be in the mess and not have the answer.’ I mean, it’s not Keats, but it is Keats.”
Andreas Rentz / Getty Images
Farrell previously told People that James’ additional needs are what motivated him to get sober in the mid-‘00s, with the star renowned for his party boy past. He said at the time: “James was about two when I got clean, when I got sober, and he was a big, big part of me putting the bottle down, a big part of it. Because I was in no condition to be a friend, never mind the father of a child which such exacting needs… If it wasn’t for my sobriety, I wouldn’t be able to be there for James and enjoy in the marvels of his life and support him in the way that I feel that I can.”
Jim Spellman / Getty Images
He also reflected on how James has given him a newfound appreciation for the little things in life, explaining that while his son is able to complete everyday tasks, they tend to take him much longer. Farrell shared: “It’ll take James 90 seconds to take a T-shirt off, but he takes a T-shirt off; you sit it out with him. If anything, he also gifts me with the ability to look at the human being and the human body and life as a marvel, because I see how much he struggles with things that I’d never have given a second thought to, that many of us take for granted.”
Detailing their day-to-day life, Farrell said that he and James, who is nonverbal, enjoy regular father-son activities together like playing ball, swimming, watching movies, and going out for a cheeseburger, and that James benefits from the fact that he has had the same live-in carer for most of his life.
Samir Hussein / Getty Images
The proud father added of his oldest son: “I’m proud of him every day because I just think he’s magic.”