Colin Farrell is the father of two children, each from different relationships. While the public is familiar with his younger son, Henry, born in 2009, who has made public appearances with the actor, his eldest son, James, leads a more private life. James was diagnosed with a rare disease in his childhood.
Colin Farrell became a father for the first time on September 12, 2003, when Canadian model Kim Bordenave gave birth to his son. At the time of James’s birth, Farrell was unable to attend the birth because he was filming *Alexander the Great*. However, he didn’t hide his happiness and has often said that being a father is the best job he’s ever had.
Despite this joy, his relationship with Kim was apparently strained during this time. Kim expressed frustration at what she felt was a lack of attention from Colin during such an important period and had mentioned in her blog shortly before the birth that she planned to raise the child on her own without relying on Colin for support.
However, it soon became clear that support would be needed. Although doctors initially said James was born healthy, he was later diagnosed with Angelman syndrome, a rare genetic disorder affecting neurodevelopment. Colin publicly revealed James’s condition in 2007, when his son was four years old.
Farrell has been deeply involved in James’s upbringing, maintaining close ties with both his son and Kim. He’s been present for every major milestone in James’s life. The actor has shared stories in the press about his son’s progress, noting that he and Kim “celebrate even the smallest victories” together.
At the age of four, James learned to walk, which brought tears to everyone in the house, according to Farrell. At six, he spoke his first word, and by 19, he had learned to feed himself and even manage his seizures. “When he started feeding himself, by the end, his face looked like a Jackson Pollock painting. But he’s handling it; he feeds beautifully. I’m proud of him every day because I think he’s just magical,” Colin shared. Nonetheless, James still requires assistance with many daily tasks, so shortly before his 18th birthday, Colin and Kim filed for joint guardianship.
Today, the former couple continues to care for their son together. In 2024, Colin established a foundation to support parents of children with genetic disorders. The foundation’s mission is to assist parents of adult children with special needs, who often face these challenges alone.
