Colin Farrell has spoken for the first time about the moving moment his son, who has a rare neurogenetic disorder, took his first steps.
The actor explained that many children with the same condition are unable to walk, but his son, James, now 20, made the breakthrough when he was two weeks short of his fourth birthday.
“I’ll never forget James’ first steps,” said Farrell in a video, choking up. “It was so profound. It was magic. I’ll never forget the face of determination on him as he just walked towards me. He took about six steps, and I burst into tears. It was amazing… it was so overwhelmingly beautiful.”
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The 48-year-old Irishman, nominated for an Academy Award for his role in The Banshees of Inisherin (2022), opened up to People magazine about his life with James, who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome, a non-verbal condition characterized by sudden outbursts of laughter, as he launched a new foundation.
According to its website, The Colin Farrell Foundation is “committed to transforming the lives of individuals and families living with intellectual disability through education, awareness, advocacy, and innovative programs. Inspired by his two sons, Colin Farrell is dedicated to supporting those who the larger systems of governance have neglected.”
Farrell told People that once a child with disabilities turns 21 “they’re kind of on their own,” and he wants to help support these adult children and their families.
“All the safeguards that are put in place, special [education] classes, that all goes away. So you’re left with a young adult who should be an integrated part of our modern society and more often than not is left behind,” he said. “This is the first time I’ve spoken about it, and obviously the only reason I’m speaking is I can’t ask James if he wants to do this.
Farrell said his son’s face looked like a “Jackson Pollock” when he started feeding himself for the first time. “But he gets it in, he feeds himself beautifully. I’m proud of him every day, because I just think he’s magic,” he said.
James is Farrell’s son with ex-girlfriend, model Kim Bordenave. He has a younger boy, Henry, 14, with Alicja Bachleda-Curús, his co-star in Ondine.
