Why Colin Farrell Is Letting Go Of His Son’s Daily Care

Colin Farrell is opening up about the difficulties he is experiencing as he tries to find long-term care for his son, James, who has a rare genetic disorder.

Last year, the actor discussed his experience being a father to his 21-year-old son, who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome at 4.

Farrell, who shares James with his ex, Kim Bordenave, has now taken the bold decision to put James in long-term care and revealed the painful reason he is doing so.

Farrell recently spoke to Candis Magazine and revealed his and Bordenave’s reason for wanting James to be in a care facility.

He said per Parade, “It’s tricky, some parents will say: ‘I want to take care of my child myself.’ And I respect that.”

Farrell continued, “But my horror would be…What if I have a heart attack tomorrow, and, God forbid, James’ mother, Kim, has a car crash and she’s taken too — and then James is on his own. Then he’s a ward of the state and he goes where? We’d have no say in it.”

He also said, “So, if he has a carer or a teacher or somebody who’s doing physical therapy with him and they’re not fully engaged and fully loving with him, he’ll just switch off.”

Farrell disclosed that he and James’ mom want to “find somewhere we like where he can go now, while we’re still alive and healthy, that we can go and visit, and we can take him out sometimes.”

He explained that they want James to find a place “where he can have full and happy life, where he feels connected.”

Farrell emphasized that James needs more than just care but deserves a fuller life rooted in community and daily connection.

He also spoke about the importance of James engaging in activities like going out in the van every day, shopping together at the supermarket, and doing things like visiting the beach, museums, and movies.

Although Farrell knows the kind of facility that will benefit James the most, he admitted that it had been a struggle to find a suitable residential care option.

He noted, “And in realizing that, I thought: If I’m having these difficulties, what about all the other families out there that don’t have anything close to the means that I have?”

That realization prompted Farrell to recall why he had founded a foundation to cater to the needs of adults living with Angelman syndrome.

He explained, “I’ve always known I wanted to do something about this, but until now I’ve just been really self-centeredly busy in raising my own two kids.”

The actor, who also shares a 15-year-old son, Henry, with actress Alicja Bachleda-Curú, added, “But now, they’re up and running and I feel I have a bit more space to do something. It’s early days for the foundation yet, so we’re still on baby steps.”

Colin Farrell first opened up extensively about his older son’s condition during an interview with PEOPLE Magazine in August 2024.

He expressed his deep desire for the world to treat James with compassion. The proud dad said, “I want the world to be kind to James. I want the world to treat him with kindness and respect.”

Farrell also 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.”

He explained that while he speaks to James as if he has full fluency and cognitive ability, the latter cannot clearly communicate his comfort with being in the spotlight.

“I can’t discern a particular answer from him as to whether he’s comfortable with all this or not,” Farrell said, “So I have to make a call based on knowing James’s spirit and what kind of young man he is and the goodness that he has in his heart.”

He also praised James for his determination and resilience, highlighting the daily challenges he faces. “James has worked so hard all his life, so hard,” Farrell shared. “Repetition, repetition, balance, his jerky gait.”

Reflecting on milestones like feeding himself, Farrell added, “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.”

He concluded, “I’m proud of him every day, because I just think he’s magic.”

The interview happened a month before James’ 21st birthday, an age at which he will outgrow most of the support systems families with kids with special needs have access to.

Farrell explained, “Once your child turns 21, they’re kind of on their own. All the safeguards that are put in place, special ed classes, that all goes away.”

He added, “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.”

The realization led Colin Farrell to create the Colin Farrell Foundation, which focuses on advocacy, education, and innovative programs designed to support adult children with intellectual disabilities.

The “Total Recall” star said that for years, he “wanted to do something in the realm of providing greater opportunities for families who have a child with special needs, to receive the support that they deserve, basically the assistance in all areas of life.”