A sexy Irish actor with impeccably plucked eyebrows, Farrell has cultivated a bad-boy image ever since arriving in Hollywood. Well known in his homeland for his two-year stint on the TV series
Ballykissangel, he made his first big impression stateside as a rebellious military recruit in the war movie
Tigerland in 2000. A fine supporting part as a cop in 2002's
Minority Report raised his profile, and suddenly Farrell was everywhere. He worked consistently (if seemingly indiscriminately), taking roles in a succession of bloated action films (
S.W.A.T.,
The Recruit, the laughable historical epic
Alexander). Yet he became increasingly famous, perhaps because of his fascinating off-screen antics, including a string of romances with models (one of which resulted in a sex-tape scandal), his profanity-laced interviews, and a 2005 stint in rehab to treat exhaustion and dependency on prescription medication. But Farrell proved he was indeed capable of nuanced work, such as his lovely performance as a small-town boy caught in a love triangle in 2004's
A Home at the End of the World.
Colin Farrell Fast Facts:
- His father was a professional Irish footballer.
- Auditioned but was turned down for the Irish band Boyzone in 1993.
- Played an autistic teen in In a Little World of Our on the London stage. Kevin Spacey caught his performance and recommended him for a role in his upcoming film, Ordinary Decent Criminals (2000).
- Breakout feature-film role came courtesy of director Joel Schumacher, who cast him in 2000's Tigerland as a rebellious Army recruit. The two worked together again in Phone Booth (2002).
- Took over a number of roles originally intended for other actors, all in 2002: Minority Report (for Matt Damon), Hart's War (for Edward Norton) and Phone Booth (for Jim Carrey).
- Reportedly had a fling with Britney Spears in 2003.
- Colin Farrell Relationships:
- Alicja Bachleda-Curus - Significant Other
- Amelia Warner - Ex-wife
- Catherine Farrell - Sister
- Claudine Farrell - Sister
- Eamonn Farrell - Father
- Eamonn Farrell Jr. - Brother
- Emma Forrest - Ex-significant Other
- Henry Tadeusz Farrell - Son
- James Farrell - Son
- Muireann McDonnell - Ex-significant Other
- Rita Farrell - Mother
- Colin Farrell Awards:
- 2009 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Winner
