Latest news with #ColinFarrellFoundation
Time Magazine
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
Colin Farrell
Parenting a child with intellectual disability can come with untold challenges. When that child grows up, what little support that may exist often disappears. Colin Farrell is bringing awareness to this issue by sharing his experience as a special-needs parent. His 21-year-old son, James, has a rare genetic disorder called Angelman syndrome, which causes intellectual disability. The actor opened up for the first time about the joys and struggles of his life with James in a People cover story in August. 'Once your child turns 21, they're kind of on their own,' Farrell told the magazine. '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.' James is the reason why, in 2024, he started the Colin Farrell Foundation to help people with intellectual disabilities and their families. The organization plans to support community-based housing and day programs and, eventually, a camp for kids and young adults and their caregivers.
The Independent
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
What is Angelman syndrome? The rare genetic condition affecting Colin Farrell's son
Actor Colin Farrell has opened up about the difficult decision to move his son James, who has Angelman syndrome, into a long-term care facility. The Oscar-nominated star of The Banshees of Inisherin, who recently won a Golden Globe for HBO series The Penguin, has previously spoken about his son's journey with the rare disorder which causes developmental delays and affects the nervous system. In an interview this week the actor, 48, revealed he and his ex-partner Kim Bordenave are exploring options to find a long-term home for James, 21, in case anything should happen to them. The parents fear James would become a ward of the state if both of his caregivers were taken ill or killed in an accident. He told Candis Magazine: 'We want him to find somewhere where he can have a full and happy life, where he feels connected.' Farrell also revealed he is starting the Colin Farrell Foundation to provide support for people and families with intellectual disabilities through advocacy, education, and innovative programmes to honour his son, who is nonverbal. What is Angelman syndrome? Angelman syndrome is a rare genetic condition that affects the nervous system and causes severe physical and learning disabilities, according to the NHS. It is diagnosed through genetic testing to see if any chromosomes or pieces of chromosomes are missing, looking at changes in the UBE3A gene. Those diagnosed with Angelman syndrome are likely to need support throughout their life. What are the characteristics of Angelman syndrome? A child with Angelman syndrome will begin to show developmental delays at six to 12 months old and may not begin sitting or babbling at the same time as other children. Later they may struggle with speech and have difficulty walking because of issues with balance and co-ordination. Farrell previously revealed he was moved to tears when his son James took his first steps shortly before his fourth birthday. Some children may also experience seizures. The syndrome is also commonly associated with several distinctive behaviours, although a child with the condition may not exhibit all of them. These include frequent laughter and smiling, being easily excitable, restlessness, having a short attention span, having trouble sleeping and being fascinated with water. How do you manage Angelman syndrome? Anti-epileptic medication can be used to help control seizures in children who experience them. Physiotherapy can also help with mobility and coordination issues and help prevent permanent stiffening of the joints as people with Angelman syndrome get older. Communication therapy can also help those who are nonverbal to communicate through sign language, Makaton and other systems.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Colin Farrell gives heartbreaking reason for putting son living with Angelman syndrome in ‘long-term care'
Actor Colin Farrell has revealed the heartbreaking reason behind why he intends to put his disabled son into a long-term care facility. The Dublin-born star, 48, has opened up about the 'tricky' conversations he has had in regards to his son James' future and how best to give him the 'happy life' he deserves. He shares the 21-year-old lad with former partner and model Kim Bordenave, while he also has 15-year-old Henry with ex-girlfriend and Ondine co-star Alicja Bachleda-Curuś. Farrell has previously spoken out about the impact his eldest child has had on his life, revealing James' birth inspired him to get sober and gave him a 'desire to live'. Back in 2007, the dad revealed that James has Angelman syndrome, a rare genetic disorder which affects a person's nervous system, causing severe physical and learning disabilities. The NHS explains that those who have this condition have a 'near-normal life expectancy, but they will need support throughout their life'. Farrell launched the Colin Farrell Foundation last year in James' 'honour', which supports adult children with intellectual disabilities, while saying of his son: "I'm proud of him every day, because I just think he's magic." The Batman actor has now revealed that he and Bordenave have chosen to find a long-term care facility for James - who is non-verbal - to live in, where he can receive round-the-clock care. Speaking to Candis Magazine, he revealed how they have both come to this decision. Farrell said: "It's tricky, some parents will say: 'I want to take care of my child myself'. And I respect that. "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." The Banshees of Inisherin star said he and Bordenave hope to 'find somewhere we like where [James] can go now, while we're still alive and healthy, that we can go and visit, and we can take him out sometimes'. "We want him to find somewhere where he can have a full and happy life, where he feels connected," Farrell added. The father-of-two previously touched on how he intended to handle James' long-term care in an interview last year. "[James] knows when somebody wants to be with him and when somebody's just supposed to be with him," Farrell told the Daily Mail. "So if he has a carer or a teacher or a therapist and they're not fully engaged he'll just switch off." Responding to concerns raised about the adjustment James will face living away from his parents, Farrell added: "I know my son... he's ready to get out of the house and go and have a bigger life than we can afford him, by having a sense of community he feels connected to."
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This Is Why Colin Farrell Wants To Put His Son With Angelman Syndrome In A Care Facility Despite He And His Ex Being In A Position To Look After Him Themselves
Back in August, Irish actor Colin Farrell won widespread praise when he emotionally opened up about the 'terrifying' reality of having a child with disabilities in his first interview about his 21-year-old son James, who was born with Angelman syndrome. James was born in 2003, and Colin shares him with his ex, American model Kim Bordenave. Angelman syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes intellectual and developmental delay, and James was diagnosed at 4 years old. Last year, Colin decided to offer a glimpse of their life to the public in a bid to raise awareness for his new venture, the Colin Farrell Foundation. Speaking to People, Colin explained that in the United States, the cut-off age for the support systems provided for families with children who have additional needs is 21 — which is what inspired him to launch the foundation, which provides support for adults who have intellectual difficulties. 'It's a terrifying thought that I'd miss the last 40 years of 50 years of his life because I won't be there to shepherd and to protect,' Colin said of the stark likelihood that James will outlive him and Kim. He added that his hope for James would be 'a life of connection' and that once his parents are gone, James will 'be somewhere he feels like he belongs, where he feels safe.' In fact, Colin noted that he has an intense fear over what the future holds for his son as he admitted that even as a wealthy Hollywood actor, he still struggles to find the help that James needs. He shared: 'My fear would be, God forbid, if and when something happens to James's mother or me, James would be 30 or 40, and then he'd have to go in somewhere. Into some kind of institute or some kind of residential care at 30 or 40, and there'd be nobody there to call over, and take him out, and have lunch and all that.' 'I want the world to be kind to James,' he concluded at the time. 'I want the world to treat him with kindness and respect.' And Colin — who also has a 15-year-old son called Henry — has reflected some more on his concerns for James's future in a new interview with Candis magazine, where he explained his and Kim's decision to settle James in a care facility while they are still technically able to look after him themselves. He said: 'It's tricky, some parents will say: 'I want to take care of my child myself.' And I respect that. 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.' 'And one thing I can say about James is that he knows when somebody wants to be with him, and he knows when somebody's just supposed to be with him,' Colin went on. '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.' 'What his mother and I want is 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,' Colin continued. 'We want him to find somewhere where he can have a full and happy life, where he feels connected. He needs a bigger life than we can afford him, by having a sense of community that he feels connected to, by going out in the van every day and going to the supermarket and doing the shopping together, by going to the beach, museums, movies, all that stuff. Just a connected life." 'It's been a struggle for us to find suitable residential care,' the actor added, referencing his decision to set up his own foundation. '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?' I've always known I wanted to do something about this, but until now I've just been really self-centredly busy in raising my own two kids. 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 previously told People that James's additional needs are what motivated him to get sober in the mid-'00s, with the star renowned for his party boy past. He said at the time: 'James was about two when I got clean, when I got sober, and he was a big, big part of me putting the bottle down, a big part of it. Because I was in no condition to be a friend, never mind the father of a child which such exacting needs… If it wasn't for my sobriety, I wouldn't be able to be there for James and enjoy in the marvels of his life and support him in the way that I feel that I can.' He also said that James has given him a newfound appreciation for the little things in life, explaining that while his son is able to complete everyday tasks, they tend to take him much longer. Colin shared: 'It'll take James 90 seconds to take a T-shirt off, but he takes a T-shirt off; you sit it out with him. If anything, he also gifts me with the ability to look at the human being and the human body and life as a marvel, because I see how much he struggles with things that I'd never have given a second thought to, that many of us take for granted.' Detailing their day-to-day life, Colin said that he and James, who is nonverbal, enjoy regular father-son activities together like playing ball, swimming, watching movies, and going out for a cheeseburger, and that James benefits from the fact that he has had the same live-in carer for 18 years. Reflecting on his oldest son, Colin added: "I'm proud of him every day because I just think he's magic." More on this Colin Farrell Emotionally Opened Up About The 'Terrifying' Reality Of Having A Child With Disabilities In His First Interview About His 21-Year-Old Son Who Has Angelman SyndromeStephanie Soteriou · Aug. 8, 2024 Colin Farrell Shouted Out The Craft Service Crew On 'The Penguin' By Name In His Golden Globes Acceptance Speech, And People Are ObsessedStephanie Soteriou · Jan. 6, 2025 Colin Farrell And Nicole Kidman Have Been Called Barry Keoghan's 'Proud' Dad And 'Stressed' Mom After An Adorable Interview Resurfaced OnlineStephanie Soteriou · March 16, 2023 Colin Farrell Was Warned That He Was Wasting His Time Trying To Be An Actor After He Was Rejected From A Boyband For Not Being Talented EnoughStephanie Soteriou · March 21, 2024
Buzz Feed
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Colin Farrell Just Explained The Poignant Reason Why He Wants To Put His Son With Angelman Syndrome In A Care Facility
Back in August, Irish actor Colin Farrell won widespread praise when he emotionally opened up about the 'terrifying' reality of having a child with disabilities in his first interview about his 21-year-old son James, who was born with Angelman syndrome. James was born in 2003, and Colin shares him with his ex, American model Kim Bordenave. Angelman syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes intellectual and developmental delay, and James was diagnosed at 4 years old. Last year, Colin decided to offer a glimpse of their life to the public in a bid to raise awareness for his new venture, the Colin Farrell Foundation. Speaking to People, Colin explained that in the United States, the cut-off age for the support systems provided for families with children who have additional needs is 21 — which is what inspired him to launch the foundation, which provides support for adults who have intellectual difficulties. 'It's a terrifying thought that I'd miss the last 40 years of 50 years of his life because I won't be there to shepherd and to protect,' Colin said of the stark likelihood that James will outlive him and Kim. He added that his hope for James would be 'a life of connection' and that once his parents are gone, James will 'be somewhere he feels like he belongs, where he feels safe.' In fact, Colin noted that he has an intense fear over what the future holds for his son as he admitted that even as a wealthy Hollywood actor, he still struggles to find the help that James needs. He shared: 'My fear would be, God forbid, if and when something happens to James's mother or me, James would be 30 or 40, and then he'd have to go in somewhere. Into some kind of institute or some kind of residential care at 30 or 40, and there'd be nobody there to call over, and take him out, and have lunch and all that.' 'I want the world to be kind to James,' he concluded at the time. 'I want the world to treat him with kindness and respect.' And Colin — who also has a 15-year-old son called Henry — has reflected some more on his concerns for James's future in a new interview with Candis magazine, where he explained his and Kim's decision to settle James in a care facility while they are still technically able to look after him themselves. He said: 'It's tricky, some parents will say: 'I want to take care of my child myself.' And I respect that. 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.' 'And one thing I can say about James is that he knows when somebody wants to be with him, and he knows when somebody's just supposed to be with him,' Colin went on. '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.' 'What his mother and I want is 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,' Colin continued. 'We want him to find somewhere where he can have a full and happy life, where he feels connected. He needs a bigger life than we can afford him, by having a sense of community that he feels connected to, by going out in the van every day and going to the supermarket and doing the shopping together, by going to the beach, museums, movies, all that stuff. Just a connected life." 'It's been a struggle for us to find suitable residential care,' the actor added, referencing his decision to set up his own foundation. '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?' I've always known I wanted to do something about this, but until now I've just been really self-centredly busy in raising my own two kids. 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 previously told People that James's additional needs are what motivated him to get sober in the mid-'00s, with the star renowned for his party boy past. He said at the time: 'James was about two when I got clean, when I got sober, and he was a big, big part of me putting the bottle down, a big part of it. Because I was in no condition to be a friend, never mind the father of a child which such exacting needs… If it wasn't for my sobriety, I wouldn't be able to be there for James and enjoy in the marvels of his life and support him in the way that I feel that I can.' He also said that James has given him a newfound appreciation for the little things in life, explaining that while his son is able to complete everyday tasks, they tend to take him much longer. Colin shared: 'It'll take James 90 seconds to take a T-shirt off, but he takes a T-shirt off; you sit it out with him. If anything, he also gifts me with the ability to look at the human being and the human body and life as a marvel, because I see how much he struggles with things that I'd never have given a second thought to, that many of us take for granted.' Detailing their day-to-day life, Colin said that he and James, who is nonverbal, enjoy regular father-son activities together like playing ball, swimming, watching movies, and going out for a cheeseburger, and that James benefits from the fact that he has had the same live-in carer for 18 years.
