Colin Farrell's 21-year-old son James has Angelman syndrome, a rare neurogenetic disorder.
Colin Farrell is launching a foundation in honor of his son, James, while offering a rare glimpse into their life together.
In a heartfelt interview for his People cover story, Farrell opened up about his "magic" 21-year-old son, who has Angelman syndrome, a rare neurogenetic disorder.
Farrell, 48, expressed his hopes for his son in the interview, saying, "I want the world to be kind to James. I want the world to treat him with kindness and respect." He highlighted the challenges that come with raising a child with special needs, especially once they reach adulthood. "Once your child turns 21, they’re kind of on their own," he explained. "All the safeguards that are put in place, special ed 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."
This concern led the Total Recall star to establish the Colin Farrell Foundation, aiming to support young adults with special needs. To promote the foundation, Farrell participated in a backyard photo shoot for People.
Farrell, who also has a 14-year-old son named Henry, shared the complexities of making decisions on behalf of James. "I can’t ask James if he wants to do this," Farrell said. "I speak to James as if he’s 20 and has perfect fluency with the English language and age-appropriate cognitive ability. But I can’t discern a particular answer from him as to whether he's comfortable with all this or not."
He emphasized the importance of knowing James' spirit and character. "If James knew getting his photograph in the back garden with me... could help families and other young adults who live with special needs, he would say, 'Dad, what are you talking about? Why are you even asking me? It’s a no-brainer.'"
Farrell and former girlfriend Kim Bordenave, with whom he welcomed James in 2003, filed for conservatorship of their son in May 2021 when he was 17, ensuring he continues to receive the care he needs.
In the interview, Farrell praised James for his perseverance and resilience. "Repetition, repetition, balance, his jerky gait. When he started feeding himself for the first time, his face looks like a Jackson Pollock by the end of it. But he gets it in, he feeds himself beautifully." Farrell described his son as "magic," adding, "I’m proud of him every day."
Although Farrell rarely speaks about James' condition publicly, he shared in a 2017 interview on Today that raising a special needs child can be "brutal" at times. "They can tear at the very fabric of your heart," he said, "but the love shared and the pure strength and heroism observed is the needle and thread that mends all tears."
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