SO PROUD OF MY SPECIAL BOY
YOU South Africa|22 August 2024
Colin Farrell's experience of life with his disabled son has made him a passionate advocate for change
MAXINE PETERS
SO PROUD OF MY SPECIAL BOY

HE'S an award-winning actor who disappears into every role he takes - unrecognisable as Penguin in The Batman, dashing as the otherworldly detective in Sugar and charming as the amiable Irish cow herder in The Banshees of Inisherin.

But for Colin Farrell, his greatest role has been an unscripted one: that of a father to two sons, one of whom was born with special needs. It's a role that made him quit his bad-boy ways and saw him become an inspiration to parents of children with disabilities the world over.

It also led to the recent launch of his new endeavour, the Colin Farrell Foundation, which provides support for people with intellectual disabilities and their families. The foundation advocates for funding, changes to healthcare policies and accessible community-based housing for special needs children.

Driving Colin to start the organisation is the fact that his son James, who has Angelman syndrome, turns 21 in September and will no longer be part of support systems for special needs kids.

"All the safeguards that are put in place, special education classes that all goes away," Colin (48) tells People magazine in a new interview.

"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."

All he wants for his son is a life that's as easy as possible. "I want the world to be kind to James," he says. "I want the world to treat him with kindness and respect."

James, who's non-verbal and has a fulltime carer, is one of the reasons Colin quit booze nearly 18 years ago.

"James was about two when I got clean," the Irish actor says. "He was a big, big part of me putting the bottle down.

"I don't want to make out like I'm the perfect dad - I f*** up left, right and centre - but at least you have to be present to f*** up so I'm around. But they're very conjoined, my sobriety and my children."

Esta historia es de la edición 22 August 2024 de YOU South Africa.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición 22 August 2024 de YOU South Africa.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE YOU SOUTH AFRICAVer todo
BALLON IN THE BAG
YOU South Africa

BALLON IN THE BAG

Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante says his Ballon d'Or win is a victory for Spanish football

time-read
4 minutos  |
14 November 2024
IT WAS ALL A LIE
YOU South Africa

IT WAS ALL A LIE

A new doccie exposes the Grey's Anatomy writer who fabricated her life story

time-read
5 minutos  |
14 November 2024
'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'
YOU South Africa

'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'

After her husband, anticorruption activist Alexei Navalny, was poisoned and murdered by the Kremlin, she became the public face of Russia's opposition. In this candid interview Yulia Navalnaya opens up about life on the run, her perilous family life and why she's continuing her husband's fight to save their country

time-read
10+ minutos  |
14 November 2024
AGREE TO DISAGREE
YOU South Africa

AGREE TO DISAGREE

Trevor Noah on how his childhood squabbles with his mother inspired his delightful new book

time-read
4 minutos  |
14 November 2024
PAUSE THE CLOCK
YOU South Africa

PAUSE THE CLOCK

Researchers have discovered that the ageing process spikes at 44 and 60. Here's what you can do to slow it down

time-read
5 minutos  |
14 November 2024
MPOOMY ON TOP
YOU South Africa

MPOOMY ON TOP

We chat to SA's most popular female podcaster about love, loss and her booming success

time-read
4 minutos  |
14 November 2024
MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME
YOU South Africa

MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME

Tinus Drotské says his sibling, ex Bok Nǎka, is the victim in the brawl with a neighbour that landed up in court

time-read
4 minutos  |
14 November 2024
MATT THE RECLUSE
YOU South Africa

MATT THE RECLUSE

A year after his friend's tragic death, the actor continues to shun the spotlight

time-read
4 minutos  |
14 November 2024
A LEAP OF FAITH
YOU South Africa

A LEAP OF FAITH

After her husband tried to kill her by tampering with her parachute she thought she'd never trust a man again-but now she's found love

time-read
5 minutos  |
14 November 2024
THEY'RE MY KIDS!
YOU South Africa

THEY'RE MY KIDS!

This West Coast woman treats her monkeys as iftheyre humans and animal activists are not happy about it

time-read
4 minutos  |
14 November 2024