Colin Farrell's revelation of his disastrous birthday-turned-shoot day on the set of Steven Spielberg's 2002 film Minority Report adds a comical yet poignant note to his Hollywood journey. The Oscar nominee recounted with a hint of regret that, coinciding with his birthday, he arrived at the set reeling from a night of excessive revelry. The consequence? A challenging day ahead, especially when it came to sharing scenes with costar Tom Cruise.
"It took 46 takes," he confessed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, describing the ordeal of one particular scene. "Tom wasn't very happy with me." The 49-year-old actor's recollection of this particular day on set is a stark reminder of the highs and lows of his career, particularly considering it marked one of his early breakthroughs in the US film industry. Working alongside idols like Tom Cruise in Top Gun and Risky Business, and being mentored by Spielberg and John Williams, was a dream come true for the actor.
Yet, amidst the excitement, Colin recalls begging to be off the set on May 31st, his birthday. "Of course my pick was 6 a.m. on May 31st," he quips. "I got up to all sorts of nonsense the night before and I remember getting into bed, and as soon as I turned off the light the phone rang and it was the driver outside said, 'It’s 10 past six.'"
The situation only escalated when an assistant director sternly informed him, "You can't go to the set like this." Colin's request for a six-pack of beer and a pack of cigarettes to get through the day is both hilarious and telling of the depths he had sunk into. "Now listen, it’s not cool because two years later I went to rehab," he quips, adding with a wry smile, "But it worked in the moment."
Despite the humorous anecdotes, Colin never forgets the line from the scene that eluded him: "I'm sure you've all grasped the fundamental paradox of precrime methodology." It was this line that marked the beginning of their 46th take. The film ultimately earned Steven Spielberg the Best Director award at the 2003 Critics Choice Awards.
Colin has previously discussed his struggles with drugs and alcohol, crediting his 22-year-old son James, who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome—a rare neurogenetic disorder—for helping him turn his life around. "James was 2 when I got sober," he shared with the Daily Mail. "Part of the fuel that I used to get off alcohol and drugs and all that stuff was knowing he had health issues." Colin, who also shares son Henry, 16, with ex Alicja Bachleda-Curús, added, "All children need their parents—or a parent or grandparent or somebody—to care for them. 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."
