After a 25-year career, Colin Farrell is on the safe path to the Oscars for the first time, thanks to his role in one of the most talked about films of the awards season, "Inishreen Ghosts", which this week picked up nine Oscar nominations.
Two weeks ago, the Irish star made a debut when he won the Golden Globes, but it seems that he used the occasion to start with the actress Ana de Armas, who presented him with the statuette.
"You were extraordinary in the movie 'Blonde', and I cried into the night after watching it. When I saw your feet on the edge of the bed, in the opening scene, with the music in the background - it drove me crazy," Farrell said excitedly on stage, looking away at the Cuban actress, who smiled at the praise .
With the Golden Globe he won at the last ceremony.
"When my film is successful I am always shocked", photo: AP
De Armes (34), who was herself nominated at the ceremony for portraying the character of Marilyn Monroe in "Blonde", which was released a few months ago, became a hot name in Hollywood with appearances in films such as "A Well-Written Murder" and "No Time to Die", and of course - thanks to a relationship Photogenic with Ben Affleck, just before returning to the arms of Jennifer Lopez.
And while Pharrell continued his speech and thanked the team (and even Athon who accompanied his character in the film) - on social networks they were quick to react to the surprising situation, and immediately brought up the illustrious history of the actor, who in the first years after his professional breakthrough starred regularly in the tabloids thanks to stormy romances with Demi Moore, Elizabeth Taylor, Britney Spears and Rihanna, and even rumors of sparks between him and Angelina Jolie on the set of the historical epic "Alexander" from 2004.
He also dealt with drug addiction and entered a years-long rehab process, and made headlines with a sex tape with a Playboy bunny named Nicole Narain, which leaked to the Internet.
He sued her in 2006, until they reached a compromise.
In his youth, in Spielberg's "Special Report". Hit, photo: Public Relations
"Everyone remembers that I had a crazy life in my 20s, but I wouldn't go back to that period even if I was paid," the 46-year-old Farrell now declares.
"I have a relationship with the past, and I absolutely do not ignore it, because in the end, everything I did led me to where I am today.
"I am very satisfied and love where I am at my age. In recent years I have been reflecting on life, trying not to regret things I have done, and especially trying to come out with insights and looking for a logical answer to the question of how I got to this point.
"Since rehab, I've started a different life. I don't take anything for granted, and I remember how difficult my personal journey to get sober was. It's a chapter in my life that I won't forget, and I'm lucky that I got through it safely. It took a lot of time, and I could have saved a lot of heartache And money, but I'm thankful for being here.
"Nowadays, I find my refuge in field trips, in yoga. I take care of my soul quite a bit, and appreciate life more than ever. It's not that I found the way to eternal life, but if you want to improve it - then why not try? Life is beautiful, I I want to spend them with my children, my close friends and family members."
How do you stay grounded when you're in the spotlight?
"Maybe with love? I don't know how to say. I don't believe that you can judge a person only by what he chose to do for a living. There is no added value if you are a star who appears in something that millions see. Street sweeping is also a necessary profession. I truly believe that in every field there is potential to contribute To the basic essence of life. And there are other elements to the equation, such as luck, the circumstances into which you were born and the opportunities you were given. If it is divine grace or if it is evolution - there are a multitude of directions to go in."
Did you come away with insights from the Corona period as well?
"I would be happy if we would simply treat each other with respect, and show a little patience. There are immediate and destructive reactions in the world today, as if we long to mark our enemies, draw a line in the sand and set boundaries that will separate us. It is useless, a horrendous waste of time that permeates all aspects of our lives.
"In the US we live in a reality of non-stop shooting incidents.
The madness is getting worse, and I think there were people in positions of power who gave permission to express themselves harshly and behave violently.
"I would like people to take time to breathe and think more. Even if we have differences of opinion and opposing life philosophies, we must not cause pain and destruction to another. It is okay that we live in a different way, because the world has proven in recent years how strange it is. The trick is to accept the situation and not go crazy." .
The point of the rift in the people
"Ghosts of Inishreen" is officially the high point of Pharrell's career.
The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival last September, where it took home the Best Screenplay and Best Actor awards for Pharrell, was named by many film critics as Outstanding of the Year, picked up ten nominations at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' BAFTA Awards, and was the big winner of the 2023 Golden Globes - with Three wins: Best Comedy, Best Screenplay and Best Actor.
This was Farrell's second award win, 14 years after he won for his role in "Bruges", the debut film of the same director-screenwriter, Martin McDonough (for which he was nominated for an Oscar in the original screenplay category in 2008).
Then he also teamed up for the first time with veteran actor Brendan Gleeson, who is known from movies like "Braveheart" with Mel Gibson and "Gangs of New York" by Scorsese, and also as Alastor Moody from the "Harry Potter" movies.
"Martin matched me with my dance partner, Brendan, and changed the course of my life forever, and I owe him everything for the rest of my life," Farrell said at the Golden Globes.
"I can never predict if a film will succeed and find an audience that will love it, and when it happens I'm always shocked. I'm absolutely terrified, and excited by everything that's been going on with 'Inishreen Ghosts' for the past few months. All I've done is come to work and strive to match Brendan. I won't say that I succeeded, but the ambition propelled me forward, and I am forever grateful to him for that."
The plot of the film takes place 100 years ago, at the end of the Irish Civil War, which ended in May 1923. This war was recorded in the pages of history as a particularly bloody and painful chapter in the history of the struggle to establish the free state of Ireland, not under the crown of the United Kingdom, and the division of the Irish people.
On the face of it, the focus of the film has nothing to do with the war, but the dynamic between the two main characters is a sort of harbinger of that point in time and the rift between the Irish.
Farrell plays Paderic, a young and frivolous man who lives with his sister Shivonne (Kerry Condon, "Trust Sol") in a quiet and desolate village.
One day his friend and drinking partner at the pub, an aging musician named Colm (Gleeson), informs him that their friendship is over and that he no longer wants to talk to him.
The confused Padreic tries to understand what caused his friend's step, and answers firmly.
The attempts by others to comfort him and convince him to move on with his life do not help.
The distance weighs on Paderick, until a turning point arrives that gradually helps him understand the depth of the inexplicable disconnect between the two.
"It's a fairly simple story, apparently, between two friends on an almost deserted island, one of whom decides to separate forces and the other has difficulty coping, until it slowly becomes clear that there are other characters and storylines that are not necessarily related to where they are," Farrell explains in a Zoom call from his home in the neighborhood Los Feliz, on the eastern and more pastoral side of the Hollywood Hills, the area where Angelina Jolie, Jon Hamm, Zac Efron and director James Cameron live.
"The disintegration of friendship in the film is a metaphor for the entire community, with its disputes and feelings of loss and sadness, and here and there also funny moments along the way."
According to Farrell, Paderic is an amiable and uncomplicated guy, with few things disturbing his rest.
"As long as his animals are full and satisfied, he is also satisfied. A few dimes in his pocket for another beer at the pub with his best friend - he doesn't need more than that. In the background of all the happenings, you can hear thundering cannons and shots at night, so that we are aware of the raging war, but whoever is on The isolated island is remote and protected.
"Beneath the surface, the pain and anger increase and the violence intensifies. People do horrible things to each other. Paderic feels a huge insult and begins to behave in a way that is not typical of him, and their voices also show signs of sadness or fear, which also lead him to far-reaching actions. There are comical and touching moments in every Anarchy. It's not just a story of two friends on a deserted island in Ireland. We deal with issues of loyalty, distance, loneliness and death, things that touch each of us directly or indirectly."
Do you have a winning tip on how to keep friendships?
"I guess technology helps us nowadays, even though I'm not a big fan of social networks. I have a cell phone, but if you ask those closest to me, it's not easy to reach me on the phone. Text messages are always preferable, certainly with the friends I have from Ireland, with whom I In touch to this day. I have childhood friends who grew up with me in the neighborhood in Dublin and still go with me. Even if we don't see each other physically, and even if sometimes we don't speak for a year and a half, when we meet again - we always carry on as if nothing happened.
"I have many deep friendships that continue to deepen over the years, and that distance has not subdued. My friends know how my life goes, and I don't hold grudges. Orson Welles once told how he put his friendships before the pursuit of art. I believe that true friends understand. I had Conversations with Martin and Brendan about friendships, and we agreed that there are friendships that don't need irrigation. They continue to thrive."
What reactions do you get from your friends about your movies?
"For some reason, they always pay attention to my eyebrows. They have a life of their own, and they don't stop running around like the Energizer bunny. I feel like I have no control anymore. Some would say that even in the new movie they steal the show."
In "Inishreen Spirits" (with Brendan Gleeson).
"I am absolutely terrified and excited about what is happening with the film", photo: AP
"Enjoys working with animals"
After the success of "Bruges", Farrell continued his collaboration with McDonagh in the black crime satire "Seven Psychopaths", directed and written by the Irish creator in 2012, which also starred Woody Harrelson and Christopher Walken.
This film was also praised by critics, as well as "Three Signs Outside Ebbing, Missouri" from five years ago, which was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, and won twice - with actors Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell.
"Inishreen Ghosts" is Farrell's third film in a very productive year for him, alongside the acclaimed sci-fi drama "After Young" and "Batman" - the blockbuster starring Robert Pattinson as the Batman, which grossed $770 million last year and in which Farrell played the Penguin .
Recently he also finished shooting a mini-series which he will lead in this character.
Also, he is supposed to be photographed for a new detective drama series for Apple TV Plus.
Eight years ago he starred in the second season of HBO's "True Detective", which was considered disappointing when it did not meet the expectations raised by the first season.
"Pats on the back and warm words can last a long time if the intention is not really there," explains Farrell.
"In our profession, one must not sink into ego. As cliché as it may sound, in the end the authenticity of an actor is evident. You are not afraid to fail, you are ready to make mistakes. If you are afraid of failure, you arrive limited in advance. Much of the success of any project is rooted in the relationship that is forged between you and To the players in front of you, on the question of how natural the collaboration feels."
Your main partner in the film is Athens.
"Her name is Jenny, and she is one of the protagonists of the film. There is no interview in which I am not asked about her. I am sure that it was not easy for her, after all - a set is not an environment intended for animals. There was another Athene with her, so that she would not feel lonely, and I believe that helped her in filming the scenes. She's a lovely animal, and so is Brendan's character's dog, and I believe they help create honesty in the viewer's eyes. Like children, animals don't know how to lie, and we're immediately captivated by them. I enjoy working with animals, mostly dogs or horses . They are good friends of humans."
With the Athena who stars alongside him in the film.
"They ask about her", photo: AP
Get the best out of her
Farrell, who was born in the suburbs of Dublin in 1976, began his acting career in the late 1990s, and rose to prominence when he starred in Steven Spielberg's film "Special Report" alongside Tom Cruise in 2002. Later came more box office successes, such as the thriller "Cell Telephone" and film adaptations of the American TV series "Breaking Squad" and "Miami Vice", alongside invested films that were not commercially successful, such as "Alexander" by Oliver Stone and "The New World" by Terrence Malick.
In his romantic life he experiences ups and downs.
From a fleeting relationship with a model named Kim Bordaniev, he had his eldest son, James (19), and from an affair with the Polish-Mexican actress Alicia Beczalda-Kuroz, whom he met on the set of the movie "Ondine" from 2009, his youngest son, Henry ( 13).
In recent years, he has made sure to stay under the radar, except for reports of a private relationship that he maintains with his partner, Kelly McNamara, the personal assistant of U-2 guitarist The Edge.
In the past decade, he began to garner more praise for his performances, with films such as "The Lobster", "To Kill a Moose" and Tim Burton's live-action adaptation of Disney's "Dumbo", and also played in the films "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find
Them" and "The Gentlemen" ".
"Many times you take on a project that offers a good salary, but in the end you hope to get the best out of it, regardless of the size of the deal you took," he explains.
"You have to live your truth, and not worry about the legacy you will leave. Let things happen by themselves.
"I once had a conversation with my son about publicity and fame, and he threw to me: 'Dad, in 100 years no one will remember anything of what you did.' I answered him: 'Hmmm... maybe in 150 years.' As such, you have to live in the present."
How do you choose projects?
"When I heard, for example, that the Greek director Giorgos Lanthymos was working on his first film in English, 'The Lobster,' I thought it could be an appetizing project. Then I read the script and I didn't understand anything, because the dramatic structure was so unusual. It didn't feel natural. In 'Dumbo', for example, it was clear to me that I would like the role, because I'm a fan of Tim Burton, so obviously I wanted to work with him.
"In the end, I try to do new and different things every time. I have no interest in repeating myself. I'm like a selfish child who always wants a new toy to play with. I want to walk in different shoes and play from different perspectives. It's nice to work in a high-budget production, but also in small films. I am grateful for having the opportunity to diversify the range of projects."
Did you dream of Hollywood as a child?
"I was a dreamy kid in school, but I didn't dream of Hollywood. I hated school, and I'm not an educated person. I didn't get my high school diploma, and I always felt that the framework bound me. I remember sitting in class and staring out the window, just wanting to go out and experience the Life is out there.
"Fortunately, my sons do enjoy their studies, and when I try to get them to relax and spend time with me - they are not into it. Then I realize that sometimes the apple falls very far from the tree. In the end, fatherhood is the most significant achievement in my life - a challenge that is twice as big as playing. I enjoy playing, And there is a lot of beauty in doing and artistic expression, and also a nice financial reward. But being a parent is the real thing."
dcaspi@goldenglobes.org
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