How Colin Farrell shook off his Hollywood bad boy image
How Colin Farrell shook off his Hollywood bad boy image: His transformation from a hard-partying lothario to an acclaimed film star who has marked 16 years sober and picked up his second Golden Globe
Colin Farrell picked up his second Golden Globe for his incredible performance in The Banshees of Inisherin during the star-studded ceremony on Tuesday night.
It is just the latest accolade for the Irish film star, 46, who has carved out a successful career as a film star known for his many roles in both blockbuster and independent films.
But he first rose to fame in Hollywood 20 years ago and quickly earned a reputation for his hard-partying, flings with famous woman and scandalous statements.
Amazing: Colin Farrell picked up his second Golden Globe for his incredible performance in The Banshees of Inisherin during the star-studded ceremony on Tuesday night
He was thrown into the spotlight overnight after making his Hollywood debut in Tigerland and quickly became a household name, securing roles written for A-list talents.
However, his stratospheric rise to fame also saw him earn a reputation as a Hollywood ‘bad boy’ who was known for his outrageous behaviour, hard-partying and his love of women.
Colin battled substance addition for a decade before checking himself into rehab in 2006, and he has since admitted he was ‘out of control’ for many years.
But how did the Irish heartthrob manage to shake off his infamous reputation as a Hollywood ‘bad boy’ and soar to success?
Wild: But he first rose to fame in Hollywood 20 years ago and quickly earned a reputation for his hard-partying, flings with famous woman and scandalous statements
Childhood… and being ‘expelled’ from school
Colin was born on May 31, 1976, in Castleknock, Dublin, to his footballer father Eamon Farrell and his mother Rita Monaghan.
His father and his uncle Tommy both played football for Shamrock Rovers FC, while Eamon also ran a health food shop.
He was the youngest of four children and grew up in a middle class lifestyle, living in an upper-class Dublin suburb.
Colin told the Mail On Sunday: ‘My parents were both originally working class, but we were middle to upper class. Dad played football till he was 26 or 27; after that he owned a fish-and-chip shop by a golf course, The Little Chip Inn.
Rebel: Speaking about his childhood, Colin (pictured in 1995) has previously claimed that he was expelled from school
‘Honest to God, he never let us forget the wit of that. Then he had a restaurant. He has a health-food store in Dublin called Down To Earth.’
He attended Castleknock College – one of Ireland’s most prestigious private boys schools – Bruce College and Gormanston College in Meath.
Speaking about his childhood, Colin has previously claimed that he was expelled from school.
He told American Playboy back in 2003: ‘I’ll never forget packing my bags and walking out of the school feeling like a f****** rock star.’
Describing his early life, Colin also told the publication that he lost his virginity as a teenager to a woman of 36 and once took up to 15 ecstasy tablets a night.
However, one of his childhood friends Gavin Lambe-Murphy hit back at this apparently wild behaviour and claimed Colin was never expelled from school.
Upbringing: Colin was born on May 31, 1976, in Castleknock, Dublin, to his footballer father Eamon Farrell and his mother Rita Monaghan (pictured with Colin in 2017)
Speaking in 2003, he said: ‘Colin was not expelled from Castleknock. He just left in the fifth year and went to Bruce College. He never got expelled from there either.’
Gavin claimed that he and Colin were, in fact, suspended for four days for ‘throwing rubbers at each other’ and ‘messing around’ in a study period.
Colin, who was brought up a Roman Catholic, later dropped out of drama school when he was cast as Danny Byrne on BBC1’s Ballykissangel.
Rejection from Boyzone
Despite now being a huge star in Hollywood, Colin nearly went down a very different path having auditioned to become a member of Irish boyband Boyzone in 1993.
However, Colin has since admitted that the one drawback to his plans to launch a career as a pop star was the fact that he was ‘tone deaf’.
He told the Daily Mail back in 2013: ‘I was tone deaf. I was in a nightclub in Dublin when I was 17 and this fella came up and said: ‘I’m going to make this band and it’s going to be huge.’
Star: Despite now being a huge star in Hollywood, Colin nearly went down a very different career path having auditioned to become a member of Irish boyband Boyzone in 1993. He is pictured working as a line dancing instructor
‘I said: ‘Great.’ He said: ‘Sing for me.’ So I sang Careless Whisper and he said: ‘It’s not going to work, kid’. The band did good without me, mind you.’
Although looking back on it with a different attitude, at the time the rejection from the band saw Colin hit rock bottom, saying he was ‘self-destructive’ after the set back.
He went on to become a line dancing instructor and told Radio Times in 2003 of his Boyzone rejection: ‘I was going one way – down, I was self-destructive, still am.’
He added: ‘I ended up on a shrink’s couch and he told me to write down how much I did in a week. Twenty E’s, four grams of coke, six of speed, half an ounce of hash, three bottles of Jack Daniels, 12 bottles of red wine, 60 pints and 280 fags. He looked at me and said: ‘No wonder you’re depressed’.’
Early love life
Former Hollyoaks star Kate McEnery, who starred alongside Colin in Ballykissangel, spoke about his ‘bad boy’ image back in 2003.
Image: Former Hollyoaks star Kate McEnery, who starred alongside Colin in Ballykissangel, spoke about his ‘bad boy’ image back in 2003
Despite his reputation as a heartthrob and lothario in Hollywood, Kate, now 42, insisted he was in fact a ‘lovely, Irish mummy’s boy’ who needed her help being introduced to women.
She told the Sunday Mail in February 2003: ‘He’s just a lovely, Irish, mummy’s boy – and I mean that in the nicest way. He loves his family and looks after them, and as for womanising, that is never Colin.
‘He used to get me to bring my friends over and introduce them to him, he couldn’t chat women up – he was far too shy, and not into all that schmoozing.’
Hollywood debut
After earning recognition on screen in Ballykissangel, Colin then found his big Hollywood break in Tigerland in 2000.
Director Joel Schumacher’s film followed a group of American soldiers training at Fort Polk, nicknamed Tigerland, in Louisiana.
Hollywood name: After earning recognition on screen in Ballykissangel, Colin then found his big Hollywood break in Tigerland in 2000
Colin played Private Roland Bozz, a writer who was drafted despite his opposition to the war and quickly shows himself to be a natural leader, finding ways to get trainees sent home after learning they’ll be sent to Vietnam after training.
Following the acclaim of the American war drama film, Colin earned a stratospheric rise to fame and quickly established himself as a leading man.
Though Tigerland was very well reviewed and led to a string of film and television roles for Colin, it earned a dispiriting $148,000 at the box office against a $10million budget, according to Box Office Mojo.
However, the film marked an almost overnight entrance into Hollywood for Colin, who went on to earn leading roles in Minority Report, Daredevil, The New World and Phone Booth.
Famous face: The film marked an overnight entrance into Hollywood for Colin, who went on to earn leading roles in Minority Report, Daredevil and American Outlaws in 2001 (pictured)
Scandalous statements and outrageous behaviour
After quickly becoming a Hollywood household name, Colin carved out a reputation for his outrageous behaviour and scandalous comments.
In his infamous American Playboy interview, he made very controversial comments about women’s pubic hair and his drug consumption, while he also likened paying for sex to ‘ordering a pizza’.
When he was quizzed about his alcohol and drug use, he told the publication: ‘Heroin is good in moderation.’
Already carving out a reputation for himself, the actor famously kissed a reporter during an interview back in 2003 while on the red carpet at the Swat premiere.
Scandals: After quickly becoming a Hollywood household name, Colin (pictured in 2003) carved out a reputation for his outrageous behaviour and scandalous comments
Controversy: In his infamous American Playboy interview, Colin (pictured in 2005) made very controversial comments about women’s pubic hair and his drug consumption
When asked about the on-camera kiss in a 2017 interview with the New York Times, he said: ‘Did I? Who? Which one? I swear to God, I lost so much time.’
Drug use
Colin struggled with alcohol abuse and substance addiction for a decade and became known for his hard-partying lifestyle during his early career.
Speaking to the Mail On Sunday in 2010, he said it ‘wasn’t hard’ to find a group of strangers with to party all-night-long during the height of his 2000s fame.
He explained: ‘There were a lot of parties in hotel rooms all around the world, because I had money and I was working on films, so I had a certain amount of recognition.
‘It wasn’t hard to find 20 strangers who wanted to go back to my hotel room till 8 o’clock in the morning. I often had rooms filled with people – I had no idea who they were.
Hard times: Colin (pictured in 2002) struggled with alcohol abuse and substance addiction for a decade and became known for his hard-partying lifestyle during his early career
‘For years and years I ran up massive hotel bills and I just lived to the full; I had what I thought was a flagrant distaste for anything that wasn’t the ‘Now’ – the immortal present.’
In 2013, he admitted his ‘high tolerance’ for drugs meant that he struggled to learn when to stop because he didn’t know his limits.
He told The Late Late Show: ‘I’d gotten out of control – for years I could indulge in certain things … I had quite a high tolerance for various drugs for years, I thought.
‘It accumulated to the point where I couldn’t put my foot on the brake anymore.’
‘Out of control’: In 2013, he admitted his ‘high tolerance’ for drugs meant that he struggled to learn when to stop because he didn’t know his limits. He is pictured in 2003
Reputation as a Hollywood lothario
Colin became well-known early in his career for being Hollywood lothario and heartthrob, having a string of flings with famous women.
In his romantic rollercoaster decade, he was linked to an array of names including Britney Spears, Angelina Jolie, Rosario Dawson, Playboy model Nicole Narain and Dame Eileen Atkins.
Dame Eileen previously recalled how Colin tried to seduce her when she was 69 and he was 28.
‘I was having none of it,’ she said, ‘but it did me the world of good and helped me step lightly into my 70s. He, in turn, has gallantly described her as ‘the one that got away’.
Flings: Colin became well-known early in his career for his reputation at a Hollywood lothario and heartthrob, having a string of flings with famous women, including Britney Spears
She added of the encounter on Loose Women: ‘It was pure bliss and it made me sail through my 70th birthday without a care in the world.’
He also had a whirlwind ‘marriage’ to actress Amelia Warner back in 2001. Just four months after they met, they married on the island of Tahiti, although it was never legalised.
As a symbol of his love, Colin had Amelia’s name tattooed onto his ring finger, but they split just four months later.
She said afterwards of the wedding: ‘It was just a thing we did on holiday.
‘We went shark feeding and then we did that. We booked them both on the activities desk at the hotel … It really wasn’t this secret wedding that no one was invited to.
Lothario: In his romantic rollercoaster decade, he was linked to Britney Spears, Angelina Jolie, Rosario Dawson and Playboy model Nicole Narain (pictured in 2004)
‘It was lovely, it was silly, it was sweet but by no means was it a serious thing and I think my mum thought it was quite funny.’
Although their wedding was a joke, the couple were also engaged to be married for real and Amelia was devastated when they split.
She told The Sun: ‘Maybe if we had lasted longer as a couple, we would have legalised it.
‘I still look back at that time with him with such fondness, I adored Colin, and I always will — but we’re just good friends now.’
In 2003, Colin became a father to his son James following a brief relationship with model Kim Bordenave.
Romances: He also had a whirlwind ‘marriage’ to actress Amelia Warner back in 2001. Just four months after they met, they married on the island of Tahiti, although it was never legalised
A few years later in 2009, he also welcomed his second child Henry with his former girlfriend Alicja Bachleda-Curús.
Colin was also rumoured to have been dating Rihanna and was connected to Carmen Electra, Lindsay Lohan and Demi Moore, among many others.
Colin has also previously opened up about his unlikely friendship with Elizabeth Taylor, who passed away in March 2011.
Colin told Access Hollywood: ‘I was just lucky enough to become her friend in the last year and a half. I adore her…still.’
He revealed how the pair had met and said: ‘How did we become friends? You know, the old story of boy meets girl, and boy pesters girl with too many phone calls at inappropriate hours of the night.’
Kids: A few years later in 2009, he also welcomed his second child Henry with his former girlfriend Alicja Bachleda-Curús
Dealing with bad reviews
Colin’s drug addiction took a turn for the worse after disastrous reviews for 2004’s Alexander, which saw him star alongside Angelina Jolie.
Speaking onstage at the Pendulum Summit in 2019, Colin admitted his ‘meteoric rise’ to stardom in his twenties was unsustainable.
After appearing in Hollywood blockbuster ‘flop’ Alexander, Colin said he looked at every negative review of the film available and obsessed over its criticism.
‘Alexander was a huge film, a bunch of Irish lads playing big roles and we all thought we were all off to Hollywood, and the film didn’t work,’ he said.
‘It was an extraordinary box office flop, I set myself up for a fall, I remember saying; ‘If this fails, I’m in trouble, because I put everything in this film’.’
Flop: Colin’s drug addiction took a turn for the worse after he was badly reviewed in 2004’s Alexander, which saw him star alongside Angelina Jolie
Colin admitted that he went to hide at a ski resort amid his downward spiral after the movie’s release.
He added: ‘I went to a ski resort immediately after so I could wear a ski mask everyday and not be arrested.
‘I’d had such a grand six or seven years, a meteoric rise, but I didn’t make that, Hollywood made that, it’s just about the hype.
‘I needed that lesson, and that humility, I felt like I let everyone down, I took it very personally, I wanted to apologise to everyone I met for six months. As a 23-year-old, of course it affected me.’
Checking into rehab
Colin went on to star in Miami Vice but when the rest of the cast and crew attended a wrap party, the Irish star went to rehab centre Crossroads instead.
When he attended the Miami Vice premiere, he confessed to not remembering any of the filming.
Rehab: Colin (pictured in July 2006) went on to star in Miami Vice but when the rest of the cast and crew went on to attend a wrap party, the Irish star went to rehab centre Crossroads
Speaking of his decision to go to rehab in 2006, he later said: ‘I didn’t want to die, but I didn’t want to live either.’
When asked if it was harder to go to rehab because of his position in the public eye, he told the Mail On Sunday: ‘Are you joking? No, not for me. I had so much in my life when I came out of rehab; I’m a lucky, lucky man.
‘I did a movie right afterwards, and I was terrified because it was my first time not drinking since I was 18.’
Returning to spotlight and winning a Golden Globe for In Bruges
Colin returned to the limelight around two years later in 2008, appearing on the cover of Men’s Health and becoming the face of a Dolce & Gabbana fragrance.
Following his rehab stint, he starred in Cassandra’s Dream before securing a role in In Bruges alongside Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes.
And the 2008 crime comedy film was the crown in his triumphant return, as he went on to secure his first ever Golden Globe in 2009 for his portrayal as Ray.
Smash hit: He secured a role in In Bruges alongside Brendan Gleeson and the crime comedy was the crown in his triumphant return, as he got his first ever Golden Globe for it
The movie was directed by Martin McDonagh and was a hit action-packed, profanity-filled thriller, set in the Belgian city of Bruges.
In Bruges followed Ray (Farrell), a hitman who botches a job and is sent away to the Belgian city with fellow assassin Ken (Gleeson) to wait to be given the all-clear from their boss Harry (Fiennes).
However, Harry isn’t keen for Ray to be left to live after accidentally killing a child, so he orders Ken to do away with his friend now he has been able to enjoy his final days in the picturesque location.
Ken, realising that Ray’s guilt over the course of events has left him feeling suicidal, chooses to go against his boss and instead try and get his Ray to safety, leading to a dramatic showdown between the trio.
Taking on supporting roles in art films
He’s back! Since his return to the spotlight, Colin has gone on to make a name for himself as an acclaimed film actor, starring in an array of independent art films, including After Yang
Since his triumphant return to the spotlight, Colin has gone on to make a name for himself as an acclaimed film actor, starring in an array of independent art films.
He appeared in 2012’s Seven Psychopaths and 2015’s The Lobster, as well as The Beguiled in 2017 and science fiction drama After Yang in 2021.
Colin also ventured back into blockbuster cinema, but appeared in secondary roles, including as Percival Graves in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and as Penguin in 2022’s The Batman.
Franchise: Colin also ventured back into blockbuster cinema, but appeared in more secondary roles, including as Penguin in 2022’s The Batman
2018 rehab stint as a ‘preemptive measure’
In 2018, Colin checked into a $36,000-a-month Arizona rehabilitation centre as a ‘preemptive measure’ to maintain his sobriety.
A source close to the star told DailyMail.com at the time that he became ‘overwhelmed’ following a busy year having completed three back to back films and began getting ‘urges’ to start ‘using’ again.
But Colin decided to seek professional help before he went to a ‘bad place’, the source added.
The source said: ‘He was overwhelmed for the past year and the urges started to come back with being so busy at work and he felt, eventually, out of control and thought maybe he should get ahead of it before he starts using again.
Staying sober: In 2018, Colin checked into a $36,000-a-month Arizona rehabilitation centre as a ‘preemptive measure’ to maintain his sobriety
‘He decided to pre-emptively check himself in before it went to a bad place. He didn’t want to go down that rabbit hole again.’
Sixteen years sober
Colin has been sober for 16 years, since his first admission to rehab back in 2006 and has been vocal about his decision to quit drinking.
He told the Mail On Sunday: ‘Quitting booze was hard initially. Drinking was all I had known in my adult life.
‘One day you’re living a certain way and then suddenly the next day that whole system you’ve built around yourself is completely gone. But it gets easier over time; you get used to not having that crutch.’
Addiction: Colin has been sober for 16 years, since his first admission to rehab back in 2006 and has been vocal about his decision to quit drinking
Previously discussing his addictions, he admitted it was difficult when he finally gave up alcohol and drugs, and tried to adjust to life without being ‘drunk and high’.
He said: ‘I began to come out of the haze that I was in and had burrowed myself into so deeply.
‘Basically, I’d been fairly drunk or high since I was 14, so it was a tough life change, and I was dying. I’m one of the lucky ones.’
Colin said he ‘could never find the handbrake’ when drinking and has described himself at that time as ‘out of control’.
Sobriety: Previously discussing his addictions, he admitted it was difficult when he finally gave up alcohol and drugs, and tried to adjust to life without being ‘drunk and high’
Fatherhood
Colin has previously revealed how his two sons – James, 19, and Henry, 13 – made him want to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
His eldest son, who suffers from Angelman syndrome, was fathered with model Kim Bordenav, while Henry’s mother is Alicja Bachleda-Curuś, who Colin split from a year after the birth of their son.
In 2012, Colin credited his children for his dramatic change in lifestyle from his wild early days of fame.
He told Men’s Health magazine that he underwent a total body overhaul in order to ‘live as long as possible’ so he can see his sons grow up.
Family man: Colin has previously revealed how his two sons – James, 19, and Henry, 13 – made him want to adopt a healthier lifestyle
Colin explained: ‘What my first son James did was allow me to care for something in this world when I couldn’t care for myself. James saved my life.’
And speaking about his healthy lifestyle compared to his old habits he explained: ‘I don’t put the same level of energy into healthy living as I did into unhealthy living.’
In 2019, he also opened up about missing his sons when he works away for six months of the year, but said the boys ‘got sick of looking at him’ when he enjoyed an extended break from films.
Speaking on the Ellen show, he said: ‘Last year I think I worked for about a month. Gainfully unemployed for about 11. It was lovely, I was just home with the boys.
‘It’s hard because I travel six or seven months of the year. It’s tough on them. It’s tough on me. I miss them so much. I just get home and get in their faces to the point they’re actually sick of looking at me. Truly.’
Second Golden Globes victory
After overhauling his lifestyle, Colin has achieved another sensational career achievement after securing his second Golden Globe.
Amazing: After overhauling his lifestyle, Colin has achieved another sensational career achievement after securing his second Golden Globe
He picked up the gong for Best Actor – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy for his acclaimed role in The Banshees of Inisherin.
He plays Pádraic Súilleabháin in film, which is centered around two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them.
In his acceptance speech, Colin spoke of the critical acclaim levelled at the film, which sees him reunite with his In Bruges co-star Brendan Gleeson.
He said: ‘To work on this film, I never expect films to work or to find an audience and when they do, it’s shocking to me. I’m horrified by what’s happened around over the last couple of months, in a thrilling kind of way.’
The Banshees of Inisherin also scooped Best Picture – Musical/Comedy and Best Screenplay for Martin McDonagh.
Star: He plays Pádraic Súilleabháin in The Banshees Of Inisherin which is centered around two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them
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