Though Colin Farrell may be having a Hollywood resurgence as he gears up to star in a new The Batman HBO spinoff series and the futuristic A24 film After Yang, in the lives of his two sons, he’s always a main character. Colin, AGE, shares sons James, 18, with ex-girlfriend Kim Bordenave, and Henry, 12, with former Ondine costar Alicja Bachleda-Curús.
Colin, who plays classic Batman foe The Penguin in Matt Reeves‘ highly-anticipated take on the comic book, has played his fair share of onscreen villains, and he’s said his kids are picking up on it. He recently shared on The Ellen Degeneres Show that ahead of his latest role his kids are “sick of me being a bad guy.” However, he chose to take their lack of support for his villainous characters as a subtle yet sweet judgment of his character. “Apparently, reading between the lines, [that] leads me to believe that they think I’m okay,” he shared. Find out everything to know about Colin’s boys, here.
James Farrell
Colin shares his eldest son, James Paidraig Farrell, in 2003 with ex-girlfriend Kim Bordenave. The couple split shortly after but have continued to co-parent James, who requires additional care due to a rare genetic condition known as Angelman’s disease. The syndrome, which affects only one in 500,000 people every year, is characterized by developmental delays in speech, mobility, and other areas. According to Angelman’s official website, those with the disorder are often misdiagnosed with autism or Down Syndrome.
In May 2021, shortly before James’ 18th birthday, Colin and Kim filed to obtain a co-conservatorship of James, allowing them to continue to manage James’ personal affairs and medical needs after he reaches adulthood. Colin has previously opened up about parenting a child with special needs. “The struggles of a child with special needs can be so brutal that they can tear at the very fabric of your heart, but the love shared and the pure strength and heroism observed is the needle and thread that mends all tears,” he shared in 2017.
Henry Farrell
Colin’s youngest son Henry Tadeuz Farrell was born in 2009. Though Colin split with Henry’s mom Alicja in mid-2010, the duo has remained courteous in order to co-parent their son. Henry, 12, looked just like his dad in photos of the two arriving to a taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2019, rocking an infectious grin just like Colin’s as the pair sweetly held hands.
Colin has also opened up about the less sweet moments…namely, when preteen Henry judges him for his fashion choices. Joking with Ellen Degeneres on her show on Mar. 1, Colin revealed Henry isn’t a fan of the short-shorts paparazzi have caught his dad wearing in the past. “My youngest son…he’s mortified,” Colin confessed. “He says, ‘Please Dad, do not wear the short shorts.’ And I tell him, ‘They feel good.'”