Welcome to PerezHilton.com
Welcome to PerezHilton.com - Hollywood's Most-Hated Web Site!
Celebrity Scoop Goes Here
E-mail Perez@PerezHilton.com

Report technical problems.
Perez Posse signup FAQ

Contact us to advertise on PerezHilton.com



Wear it, share it, give it, get it! Represent!

Jump to your favorite celebrity

Articles by date

Colin's Secret Confession

Filed under: Inspiration > Colin Farrell

wenn5009412.jpg

He may be about as appealing as a sperm milkshake, but we have to applaud Colin Farrell for coming forward and speaking publicly about his son with special needs.

Little James Farrell is 4 years old and suffers from a rare form of cerebral palsy called Angelman Syndrome*.

Despite the heartbreak the syndrome has caused he said that he is “incredibly blessed to have him in my life” and told of his joy when James recently took his first steps.

He said that his son had shown “amazing courage” in the first four years of his life and that he is an “incredibly happy boy” despite his condition.

Colin – who has starred in such movies as Miami Vice and Phone Booth – said that James has “enriched” his life “incredibly.”

And he said that he is dedicated to helping his son reach his own “individual potential” and to be “as happy as he can be.”

”With my son the only time I'm reminded that there is something different about him – that he has some deviation of what is perceived to be normal – is when I see him with other four-year-olds.

“Then I go “oh yeah” and it comes back to me. But from day one I felt that he's the way he's meant to be.”

The actor spoke with pride about the barriers his son has overcome in the first four years of his life – and paid tribute to his exgirlfriend Kim for being proactive in getting James the early intervention he needs.

“He took his first steps about six weeks ago and it was four years in the making. All the work is his, he worked his arse off for four years.”

“And when he took the first steps it was incredibly emotional, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.”

He's broken that barrier and its all about building on that now.

“I have never thought of my son as being someone with a disability. It goes back to special needs and what is a disability and what isn't”.

*Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a rare neuro-genetic disorder named after a British paediatrician, Dr. Harry Angelman, who first described the syndrome in 1965.[1] A syndrome is a collection of features which occur together as a group and indicate a particular condition. AS is characterised by intellectual and developmental delay, speech impediment, sleep disturbance, unstable jerky gait, seizures, hand flapping movements, frequent laughter/smiling and usually a happy demeanour.

[Image by Zibi via WENN.]

177 comments to “Colin's Secret Confession”

More comments: [1] 2 »

  1. lm says – reply to this


    1

    Now if only John Travolta and Kelly Preston would take this example and get help for their son.

  2. April says – reply to this


    2

    Why do you have to put stuff coming out of his mouth. A little heartless don't you think!!

  3. yomi says – reply to this


    3

    ick!

  4. kate says – reply to this


    4

    first

  5. MEMEMEME says – reply to this


    5

    HI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  6. Fitz says – reply to this


    6

    Hats off to you Colin
    Your a great guy, glad your son has you there for him

  7. Nip says – reply to this


    7

    He's happy because its a symptom of the syndrome. DUH!

  8. me says – reply to this


    8

    Who cares who's first

  9. car says – reply to this


    9

    Tha's what I call a dad with balls. Go Colin!!

  10. Amy says – reply to this


    10

    Good for him :)

  11. Bunnyloo says – reply to this


    11

    Awww. Bless them all.

  12. Sam says – reply to this


    12

    What a sad story. Good for Colin and his family. James sounds like a sweet little boy.

    PS: Why do you hate Colin Perez????

  13. Cara says – reply to this


    13

    Thanks for providing something informational here.

  14. Tammi says – reply to this


    14

    That is very sad! I had no idea his son was disabled. He seems like a really good dad in all the photos I have seen of him with his boy.

  15. maria says – reply to this


    15

    God Bless Him!!! :)

  16. Staci says – reply to this


    16

    Our daughter is 13 and has AS minus the seizures (thank God). It's not easy being the parent of a special needs child, but you do what you have to do, focus on the child and get through it. Collin will do a lot of growing up, I hope. Best wishes to him.

  17. TT says – reply to this


    17

    Now Perez, is a sperm milkshake appealing to you, or not appelaing to you. I'm confused. You're the best!

  18. Awww, poor little guy! says – reply to this


    18

    I wish his little boy well and hope he grows up happy.

  19. Monkeycox says – reply to this


    19

    As a parent, I can imagine that it is incredibly difficult to raise a special needs child. I commend Colin for being so positive about the situation and for speaking about it so openly.

  20. 25beerbelly says – reply to this


    20

    That's sweet of colin. He is so hot. so is perez, see him nude at veryvulgar.com. he is hung. i'd bend over for him, skinny or fat

  21. J says – reply to this


    21

    My thoughts and good wishes goes out to him and his son. My son also has special needs and at times it is very hard and emotionally draining but I would not change a thing. He is Amazing! A True Gift!

  22. Alice says – reply to this


    22

    Re: April

    I agree w/ April, Perez. Are you that low class to make fun of someone when they are talking about their sick child?

  23. Stu says – reply to this


    23

    ANGELMAN SYNDROME
    Just for the record AS is NOT Cerebral Palsy(CP) - see below. As a parent of a son who just happens to CP & a parent advocate. I applaud his & the mom's involvement - VERY critical for the child & life changing - in a GOOD way -for the parents.

    What is Angelman Syndrome? Angelman Syndrome (AS) has confused the medical community and parents of Angelman children for hundreds of years. Initially presumed to be rare, it is now believed thousands of Angelman Syndrome cases have gone undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as cerebral palsy, autism or other childhood disorders.

  24. Sandy says – reply to this


    24

    For a ho, he seems like a good dad!

  25. elyse says – reply to this


    25

    AS kids take an incredible amount of patience to work with, but it is really, really rewarding to spend time with them. whatever colin was before, he's probably a better man now because of his son. i used to work with a kids who had AS and i loved him so much! thanks for posting this :)

  26. cheerio says – reply to this


    26

    AS is a complex disorder, but it is NOT a form of Cerebral Palsy.

  27. DMacFly says – reply to this


    27

    For those of you who posted "that is sad" … not in the slightest. Families with special needs children often consider themselves blessed to have them, and clearly Colin Farrell is one of those people. My sister has a special needs son, and he is a joy and a delight on a daily basis. We all love him dearly, and his brother and sister are two of the least spoiled, least judgemental, least materialistic people I know, which is probably due to the fact that they were raised with this lovely boy. When I was pregnant and worried about the health of our daughter, someone said to me, "A handicapped child means a handicapped family." From that day on, I no longer prayed for a "perfect" child; I simply prayed to be what she needed. Clearly Colin Farrell and his child's mother are what James needs.

  28. Molly says – reply to this


    28

    Sad. The Preston's need to face the truth and help their special needs son as well.

  29. laurie says – reply to this


    29

    wouldn't that be Autism?
    those are the exact same symptoms as an autistic child would have.
    what is sooo fucking wrong w/admitting your child is fucking AUTISTIC?!?!
    maybe he and john and kelly travolta can get together and have a "My Child's NOT Autistic" party.

  30. AgentGiggles says – reply to this


    30

    That's amazing! Who's my new favorite?

  31. Harry says – reply to this


    31

    Many times parents of such children have done a kind of home-grown miracle, by simply refusing to accept the prognosis and going ahead with maximum power of positive force. The child prospers under this parental supercharging and goes far ahead of where he or she otherwise might have been. To dedicate to this task and see it through is worthy of all respect, and Colin Farrel may have been criticized for a lot of things, but he sure can't be criticized for this.

  32. Amy says – reply to this


    32

    Its good to see a softer more mature side of him! Hopefully its here to stay!

  33. Mister Ed says – reply to this


    33

    i'd suck him off in a heartbeat…i'd swallow too if it'll make him feel better. call me Colin

  34. j. says – reply to this


    34

    I like him. He is very genune unlike other stars.

  35. j. says – reply to this


    35

    This is no consolation, but makes life easier. he's got the money to do everything possible for the boy to live as good a life as possible.

  36. Bndgk4L says – reply to this


    36

    I

  37. SKYLER says – reply to this


    37

    WHAT A SWEETHEART! =]]

  38. Anon says – reply to this


    38

    I was always a Colin Farrell fan, even when he was at his worst,bcz I always felt that he had a good heart. There has always been something atractive about his roguish charm. Now I realize what a really good person he truly is. I am just so impressed with how he has embraced this. Colin is my hero. I will pray for him. It's really good he is close to his family. I hope he is getting good support from them. Glad to hear Jame's mother is doing right by him as well.

  39. Bndgk4L says – reply to this


    39

    i love Colin and had no idea that he was going through this. hang in there Colin, we love you.
    I think it is great that he is not one of those celebrities that is parading around his spawn for media attention. **cough britney cough**

  40. Memphis gurl says – reply to this


    40

    Bless Colin and his ex for working so hard for his little boy and being so proud—-I hope he continues to make strides!
    I am so blessed and try to remember this everyday I get up and my baby is being a normal, rotten boy.

  41. stefystef says – reply to this


    41

    This confession actually explains Colin's "disappearance" from the Hollywood scene. Instead of being the playboy, fuckbuddy he is known for, he because a real dad caring for his son. To admit a child has a problem is the hardest thing a parent can do. Kudos to Mr. Farrell!!! All the very, very best for his son, James.

  42. jennifer says – reply to this


    42

    I have worked with children with AS. It is a tough job,you must have lots of love and patience but it is worth every minute. I totally respect and understand the time and effort it takes a parent to raise an AS child at home. Its not easy for them,especially when the parent is working a full time job. These kids are very special and unique and deserve every chance at life :)

  43. brody says – reply to this


    43

    Perez - are you getting soft? Actually, it's nice to read something informative for a change. Don't get me wrong - I still love the dirt, but who knows - maybe this will help someone.

  44. nicholas says – reply to this


    44

    I applaud you Perez for posting something both informative and heartfelt.
    You were a sweetheart with Kath G's father's passing and you've managed to cover this personal journey of Colin's with class as well.
    There just might be more to you than a big ass, bad hair and shitty remarks about celbraties afterall.

  45. A-rawrrr says – reply to this


    45

    Could it be that Sir Douchebag Farrell and his lady love were partying up until the baby was born? Maybe that's a possible cause for that baby's unfortunate life.

    With as much as he partied I wouldn't have doubted that his offspring would be born with some kind of horribly sad neurological disorder.

    His sperms are contaminated and he should cease procreating. Him and … gee whizzz everyone else that you write about, Perezzz.
    Well, except for Halle Berry and that one stud.

  46. melissa says – reply to this


    46

    I agree, I have a son with special needs and it has changed my life for the better. I am grateful instead of angry and appreciate all that god has given us. We should all be thankful instead of greedy. I appreciated this post so much but PEREZ stop using the R****D word use the word you mean stupid works and it would help alot of people to not see it used by you! Since you are an celeb?!!!!!

  47. samsuma says – reply to this


    47

    Charlie Sheen has nothing on this guy. Whenever I see his face, I think "Vagina Torturer". Remember American Psyco???? He tortures and makes it not possible for women to have children after having "sex" with them. He has instruments and thinks he is a gyno doctor. This is his punishment!!

  48. Bax says – reply to this


    48

    Kudos to Farrell and Jenny McCarthy for being honest, and yet non-exploitive about their special needs kids, and amen to the Travolta/Preston comments.

  49. Lunilla says – reply to this


    49

    hola!!!
    Me encanta esta pagina web, pero me gustaria q se incluyeran mas comentarios en español.

  50. Jstarr91177@yahoo.com says – reply to this


    50

    anyone see his sex tape?? it's pretty hot—it's on xtube

  51. jr says – reply to this


    51

    a good father that is for sure….rumors be damned!!!

  52. marya says – reply to this


    52

    Re: Staci – Hi i'm a single parent of child with special needs & i wouldnt trade him in for anything in this world, yeah your right its a tough job but i love him all the more.

  53. j says – reply to this


    53

    It’s Britney Bitch.

    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer

    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer

    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer
    Perez hope you have a good lawyer

  54. uctxnurse says – reply to this


    54

    Good for you Colin I'm glad to see that some celebs are humble and human. Don't ever be ashamed of that child, he's a blessing.

  55. Frayda says – reply to this


    55

    Re: A-rawrrr
    If you would actually read about the disease, you would see that it comes from the mother, not the father moron. I can't stand when people make stupid, uninformed remarks about people they don't know. If you have a disabled child, are you going to blame yourself? No, you would probably blame G-d. Get a grip!!

    And, no people, just because it shows some of the same traits, it's not the same thing as autism. A cold and the flu have the similar symptoms, but they are very different.
    Read something other than Perez every now and then people.

  56. Amy says – reply to this


    56

    Colin Farrel has just gone up a few notches for me. WOW!

  57. Sherry says – reply to this


    57

    Oh no! That's such sad news! Well kudos to Colin for coming forward about this. You can tell that he is very proud of his little son.

  58. laurie is a tw@t says – reply to this


    58

    Ermmm…laurie, dear? Are you a doctor? umm…i highly doubt it… quit your hill billy diagnosis and SHUT THE FUCK UP!

  59. elisabitchsuxdix says – reply to this


    59

    Re: Nip
    Hello? No one wants to call you out on being a shit head?
    Ok fine, I WILL DO IT, i have to do EVERYTHING anyway.
    Nip, you are a shit head douche bag.
    Me thinks you need a colon cleanse that doesnt require you to shit out of your mouth on the internet. Use the toilet like the rest of us.
    You fucking arse hole.
    degenerate dickweed mother fucker.

  60. charlita says – reply to this


    60

    Now I understand why he was at the opening ceremonies for Special Olympics in China. I thought he was an odd choice but now it makes perfect sense and I have a lot of respect for him for doing that.

  61. lmmm says – reply to this


    61

    This is horrible for me to even say, but I couldn't help but think it while reading. Is it possible that his child has this condition because he was conceived while Colin was under the influence of so many illegal substances? We know Colin likes the drugs, especially 4-5 years ago!

  62. aangelitah says – reply to this


    62

    Re: April

    Yes i agree totally!

  63. Perez is a megalobitch says – reply to this


    63

    Cum stain, necessary? Dick!

  64. Lola says – reply to this


    64

    Geez Perez, Colin comes forward with this personal news about his son and you draw cum on him and make ignorant remarks? I appluad Colin for sharing this with his fans in the hope it can help other families. Go to hell Mario.

  65. don'tpartywhileurpregnant says – reply to this


    65

    I wouldn't fuck him but Colin is a hot piece. I remember seeing pics of the mother drinking and smoking while pregnant. Who knows what else she was doing? But she HAD to have Colin's baby either to be set financially for life or she was trying to hold on to him. I am not surprised by this news as I could tell from a couple of pics that there was something wrong with this child. I was actually just thinking about it two days ago….weird.

  66. BRITNEY SPEARS DEFEATS THE WORLD says – reply to this


    66

    GOD DAMMIT WHERE IS MY BRITNEY UPDATE ? I'M GOING THROUGH WITHDRAWL HERE ! HAS SHE NOT WOKEN UP FOR HER MORNING STARBUCKS ?

  67. red says – reply to this


    67

    His son is also bi-racial(black mom). OK NOW LETS SEE HOW MANY OF THE RACIST COME OUT OF THE WOODS.

  68. m says – reply to this


    68

    Re: laurie

    Peop,e should lay off the Travoltas. I know of even more famous Celebs who have autistic children and would NEVER speak of it.

  69. kell says – reply to this


    69

    my niece has this syndrom and it is really devestating…good for him to feel so positive about it!

  70. honeydoo says – reply to this


    70

    god bless little James.

  71. Adriana says – reply to this


    71

    pshhh colin is BY FAR one of the most appealing actors out there. that's one sperm milkshake i'd like to sip.

    ok, gross..but you get my point.

  72. Gina says – reply to this


    72

    Re: lmmm

    Yes you are right, it was horrible of you to even mention the idea that this child's medical condition had anything to do with any drugs his father had done. If you had of read any of the other posts you would have seen the comment just above yours ( #61) "AS is a deletion on the 15th chromosome on the maternal side, and is diagnosed by finding the deletion on the gene." Now I have not read up on this condition and this person may not know what there are talking about but they seem to believe they do so why not read it and save the stupid comments for another time.

    And as for the other comments made who is it for you people to decided that these parents MUST come out and be public about their children? These children are not celebrities, we should not even know anything about them. Yes it is easier to see the support of someone famous behind these causes and be able to seek comfort that someone 'famous' may be going through the difficulties your family is but it does NOT mean they have too. If John Travolta's son is auctually dealing some sort of disabilty then let them deal with it privately. Not everyone is strong enough to deal with it publicly. Awareness is great but so if the privacy of your home.

  73. angelmom says – reply to this


    73

    Get your facts straight! Angelman Syndrome has nothing to do with cerebral palsy. Cerberal palsy is caused at birth. Angelman syndrome is a result of a deletion on the 15th maternal chromosome. They are nothing alike. As the mom of a 15 year old boy with angelman syndrome, Colin Farrell and mom are in for a wild ride. I would not trade my "angel" for anything! Best wishes to this family.

  74. trying to help says – reply to this


    74

    ALL CHILDBEARING AGE WOMEN GET MERCURY TESTED!!!!!!!!! THE AUTISM RATES ARE 1 in 150. It's not only behavioral traits.
    A comprehensive metabolic test, DNA methylation analysis, heavy metal testing
    (many children both with autism and AS have high levels of chemicals and
    heavy metals such a mercury in their bodies), full blood work up.

  75. PACA says – reply to this


    75

    THIS FUCKER IS SHAMELESS.HE HAS SO MANY DISEASES THAT HE CANT EVEN FATHER A HEALTHY CHILD. FUCK HIM FOR BRINGING A KID INTO THIS WORLD WITH HIS RADIOACTIVE SPUNK!!!

  76. ALOIS says – reply to this


    76

    THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET A MINGLING OF THE RACES. ITS LIKE IF COLIN FARRELL SCREWED A CHIMPANZEE, YOU WOULD GET SOMETHING WITH FIVE LEGS AND TWO DICKS THAT COULDN WALK EITHER. SHAME ON YOU COLIN!!

  77. ALOIS says – reply to this


    77

    THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN BLACKS AND WHITES INTERMINGLE. IT LIKE IF COLIN FARREL PHUCKED A MONKEY, YOU WOULD GET A PHUCKED UP THING THAT COULDNT WALK

  78. PRK says – reply to this


    78

    I can only hope that some parents, who do not bother to understand basic genetics, of Angelman's children don't run to a lawyer now and try to sue physicians. That's a risk when you incorrectly categorize AS under cerebral palsy. BTW, don't run to a lawyer just because your child has CP either!

  79. Homo says – reply to this


    79

    That's why I haven't seen pics of him drinking and carrying on. He's been devoting his time to his kid and staying sober. Good for him.

  80. Anon says – reply to this


    80

    Sad how many sick mentally challenged people post on this website. Shame on all of you who are so sick you think you are funny or smart with your cruel remarks. Colin has the $$$ to institutionalize his son and he hasn't. There are famous rich people who have no problem putting someone away. Colin is a decent person and an honest person. He has a lot of courage to face this and deal with it in a loving way. Most average people who are faced with raising a special needs child also face financial challenges and have no choices. Colin doesn't have that issue. But he still sounds like a very involved, hands on father. God bless you, Colin! And Perez. The nasty people on this thread are a direct reflexion of you. There's a time and place for everything. You were wrong to handle Colin like this. Go fix that picture, asshole.

  81. Ryan says – reply to this


    81

    Why did you edit out the references to Special Olympics from The Independent's article?

    Colin just spent a week in Shanghai at the Special Olympics World Summer Games and once again led the Irish delegation into Opening Ceremonies and was awesome hanging out with all the athletes!

  82. becky says – reply to this


    82

    Good job, Perez!

  83. TLG says – reply to this


    83

    This would be how a "real man" deals with such an issue…

  84. stefystef says – reply to this


    84

    Re: ALOIS

    You are stupid. The mother of his son is a white woman. Sorry to fuck up your racist rant.

  85. julie says – reply to this


    85

    best wishes to and prayers for Colin and his son -

  86. mom to CP says – reply to this


    86

    Just for the record, Angelman's syndrome is not a rare form of cerebral palsy, but a different condition

  87. pinky says – reply to this


    87

    Shut up Alois,you piece of shit mutherfucker! You evil bastard-you're gonna burn in hell!

  88. JoJO says – reply to this


    88

    Colin! Bless him, such a sweetie!
    And I never believe he went near Britney, no matter what is reported!
    Love ya Col x

    Chek this blog too, top stuff, my mates site:
    w w w . u k g o s s i p . b l o g s p o t . c o m
    Please support this top new gossip site, wot u fink of it?
    Peace x

  89. 25beerbelly says – reply to this


    89

    Re: Jstarr91177@yahoo.com – definately hot. he'd be a good top. he has a nice cock

  90. pinky says – reply to this


    90

    Stefysteph
    Colin's baby is with the black model Kim Bordenave(baby born in 2003)…just thought you should know…doesn't really matter though…

  91. Steph says – reply to this


    91

    Re: laurie – AS and autism are completely, COMPLETELY different things.

  92. courage says – reply to this


    92

    I like this asshole NOW
    Before I did not care for him
    Best wishes to his Son and Family……..

  93. the doc says – reply to this


    93

    Angelman Syndrome - formerly known has "happy puppet syndrome" is NOT a form of CP, nor is it Autism. AS can be diagnosed via a genetic screening - there is currently NO genetic test for autism. AS children appear very happy, display the characteristic hand movements (reminiscent of autism but much more characteristic). Perez as a psuedo-journalist but longtime blogger, you should recognize the importance of getting your facts straight.

  94. javajunkie says – reply to this


    94

    Re: ALOIS – hey stupid you seem to be the idiot monkey here, do you even have a brain, get an education, sorry that was an insult to monkeys, you're just a fucktard you stupid piece of shit. I'd spit in your face if i could go through the screen looser…if you think that mixing of races causes that then your mom must have fucked something way worse for you to be so stupid…

  95. ColonFarrel says – reply to this


    95

    …..WELL, AT LEAST COLIN CAN TALK TO HIS CHILD ON ITS OWN INTELLECTUAL LEVEL…..AND FROM SEEING HIS XXX-RATED VID, I BET THE LAD ALREADY KNOWS HOW TO USE THE WORD "FUCK" IN MANY ILLUMINATING WAYS!

  96. ko says – reply to this


    96

    Lets not give this guy THAT much credit. He doesnt raise that child. It is the ex-girlfriend who raises the boy. Lest we forget, in the past 4 years we have seen tons of photos and stories of Colin drunk and partying around the world with Playmates. He was on the red carpet drunk with Britney when the GF was pregnant 4 or 5 years ago wasn't he?
    He may pay the child support and for therapy but the real responsibility is on that single mother.

  97. See I told you says – reply to this


    97

    Hey girls, there's another reason to not have sex with Colin. Dodge that retarded jizz!

  98. TVDinner says – reply to this


    98

    I agree with the poster who said that this is a long way from sad. From time to time I work with kids who have special needs, and I've been struck by how not sad most of them are. There are tremendous challenges, yes, both for the parents and the kids, but almost always there are deep rewards as well. Colin is fortunate to have the resources to get his son quality care and treatment, and I dearly hope we as a society step up to the plate for the other children with special needs who come from working class families and need the same quality of care. I, for one, would be happy to pay a few extra dollars in my taxes to know that these kids are getting the care they deserve.

  99. Life's A Goodie says – reply to this


    99

    Thanks for sharing with the world Colin. Kudos to you and your son.

  100. Vegas says – reply to this


    100

    Colin, he will do good promise my daughter is doing really really GREAT and now is 16 and a sophmore in HS ! Patience well do wonders

More comments: [1] 2 »