Colin Farrell credits son with inspiring sobriety journey
The elder son of Colin Farrell struggles with a rare genetic disorder. In his latest interview, the actor admitted that his son was a significant reason he chose to give up substances and start living a sober life.
Colin Farrell remains one of the most famous actors in Hollywood. He frequently appears in his native media, partly due to his past relationship with Alicja Bachleda-Curuś. Together, they have a now 15-year-old son, Henry. For many years, both parents have protected his privacy. He debuted red carpet alongside his father at the Oscars ceremony in 2023. Since then, he has appeared more often in public with his dad.
Not everyone knows that Henry is not the actor's only son. In September 2003, Farrell welcomed his first son, James, whose mother is model Kim Bordenave. The couple parted ways shortly after James's birth, but they have co-parented effectively. In 2007, the actor confirmed that James has Angelman syndrome, a rare genetic disorder primarily affecting the nervous system. It occurs in about one in 15,000 people and is often linked with epilepsy, speech problems, and intellectual disabilities.
Colin Farrell gave an interview about his son's condition
Farrell rarely speaks about his son in interviews, but he occasionally makes exceptions. This was the case in August this year when he celebrated his birthday and announced plans to establish a foundation to support adults with intellectual disabilities. In his latest interview with the "Daily Mail," the actor also mentioned his son, admitting it was thanks to him that he now lives in sobriety.
James was two when I got sober and part of the fuel that I used to get off alcohol and drugs and all that stuff was knowing he had health issues. All children need their parents – or a parent or grandparent or somebody – to care for them, and one of the things James taught me was to access within myself a desire to live, even if it was initially more about me thinking I wanted to live to be around for him, the actor said in his interview with the Daily Mail.
In the interview, Farrell admitted that before he sobered up, he would consume multiple bottles of whiskey and dozens of cans of beer each week.
