Colin Farrell’s eldest son James has a genetic intellectual disability known as Angelman syndrome, and the actor recently opened up about it publicly for the first time. Farrell opened his home to reporters from PEOPLE, who met 20-year-old James and captured some of his day-to-day life on camera. Farrell beamed in the clips, saying: “I’m proud of him every day, because I just think he’s magic.”
Angelman syndrom is a genetically inherited neurological disorder, according to a the National Institute of Health. It primarily impacts the nervous system and can delay physical and intellectual development, often leading to issues with movement and balance as well as speech impairments. The frequency of this disorder is unclear, but researchers estimate that between 1 out of every 12,000 and 1 out of every 20,000 people has Angelman syndrome. The disorder does not impact lifespan, but in James’ case it has made him non-verbal.
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Farrell told reporters: “I want the world to be kind to James. I want the world to treat him with kindness and respect.” To that end, he created the Colin Farrell Foundation. He said that he is hoping to focus on programs for adults with disabilities like James’ in particular, as his son will soon age out of some of the programs that have filled his days up until now.
“Once your child turns 21, they’re kind of on their own,” Farrell said. “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.”
Journalists visiting Farrell’s house found James outside with his live-in caretaker playing catch, and they noted that James was friendly and inviting. They said that the bond between James and Farrell was palpable when spending time with them, while Farrell gushed about his pride in his son. He said that James “has worked so hard all his life, so hard.”
“Repetition, repetition, balance, his jerky gait,” Farrell said. “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. I’m proud of him every day, because I just think he’s magic.”
Farrell hopes that his foundation can give James and those like him “a greater degree of individuality and autonomy on life, and a greater degree of community.” You can learn more about the foundation and its work on its website here.
