Why Colin Farrell Wants to Place His Son with Angelman Syndrome in a Facility, Despite Being Able to Afford His Care – Explained

Colin Farrell is best known for his roles in films like “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “In Bruges,” and “The Batman,” but offscreen, he’s a devoted father to a son with a rare neurological condition. James has largely been kept out of the spotlight — until recent years.

For the first time, Colin opened up about life with his son, sharing the emotional journey of raising a child with special needs. Alongside that, he revealed another deeply personal decision — placing James in a residential care facility. Continue reading to learn why they made that choice.

Colin Farrell’s Bond with His Son

Colin shares a deeply personal and enduring bond with his son James, who was born with Angelman syndrome — a rare neurogenetic disorder that affects the nervous system.

Now a young adult, James continues to inspire his father daily, not only through his perseverance but through the way he lights up the world around him.

Whenever James sees his father, his eyes brighten with unmistakable joy. But for Colin, it’s the way others respond to his son — with warmth and kindness — that moves him even more.

“I want the world to be kind to James,” the actor said. “I want the world to treat him with kindness and respect.” That simple, heartfelt wish became a driving force behind his decision to speak openly about his life with James for the first time.

James, who turned 21 in September 2024, is the son of Colin and his former partner, model Kim Bordenave. As he entered adulthood, he began to age out of many of the support systems that helped him as a child. Colin revealed:

“Once your child turns 21, they’re kind of on their own. 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.”

In response, the Hollywood star launched the Colin Farrell Foundation to support adult children with intellectual disabilities. The foundation focuses on advocacy, education, and developing innovative programs to close the gap that often forms once individuals like James reach adulthood.

However, Colin was keenly aware of the responsibility that comes with speaking publicly about James. “This is the first time I’ve spoken about it, and obviously the only reason I’m speaking is I can’t ask James if he wants to do this,” he explained.

“I mean, I can. I speak to James as if he’s 20 and has perfect fluency with the English language and age-appropriate cognitive ability,” Colin added.

“But I can’t discern a particular answer from him as to whether he’s comfortable with all this or not, so I have to make a call based on knowing James’s spirit and what kind of young man he is and the goodness that he has in his heart,” he further shared.

Though James is nonverbal, his famous father has always seen him as a determined and resilient young man who has worked so hard all his life, so hard,” Colin said.

The model acknowledged that James’s physical limitations are what challenge them most.

“Repetition, repetition, balance, his jerky gait. 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,” the award-winning actor revealed.

James’s mother has also shared glimpses into her experience raising their son. In a post written on Angelman Syndrome Awareness Day in February 2023, she introduced James and described how their journey has evolved.

“He has expanded my perception to see that there’s so much more available to us in our minds than we realize if we open ourselves up to what is possible,” she revealed. The model added:

“Having a diagnosis that is not neurotypical does not condemn you to a life of suffering if you choose to see things differently and open up to possibilities.”

Kim also described James as a typical young man determined to engage with the world on his own terms. “It’s when he’s not able to make his own choices and decisions, he suffers,” she explained.

“When he’s not seen and not heard then he suffers. He suffers because there isn’t the access and accommodations he requires to be in the world so that he can enjoy his life,” the post goes on.

For both Colin and Kim, the goal has always been to create space for James to thrive as an individual. “He deserves to have a voice. That is where we have to continue to change the world and create #inclusiveexperiences for everyone,” Kim added.

“He is just like you and I, but his brain is just wired a little differently. Very differently to be honest, but when we take the time to see the beauty in our differences is when the true expansion happens,” the post concluded.

For Colin, the decision to speak publicly was made in James’s honor. “If James knew getting his photograph in the back garden with me […] could help families and other young adults who live with special needs, he would say, ‘Dad, what are you talking about?'” the “Total Recall” star stated. He added:

‘”Why are you even asking me? It’s a no-brainer.’ So that’s why we’re doing it. This is all because of James — it’s all in his honor.”

Why Colin Chose Assisted Care for James, Despite Being Able to Provide It Himself

As James transitioned into adulthood, Colin and Kim were faced with a difficult but necessary decision — placing their son in long-term residential care.

Though they had the financial means and personal commitment to continue caring for him themselves, the choice reflected deeper concerns about the future — particularly the kind of life James could live beyond their immediate presence.

In a May 2025 interview with Candis, Colin opened up about the decision. He explained that while some parents preferred to manage their child’s care personally, he and Kim felt it was important to think ahead — especially about what might happen if they were suddenly no longer around.

What they wanted, more than anything, was for their son to have “a full and happy life.”

“What if I have a heart attack tomorrow,” he said, “and, God forbid, James’s 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.”

This fear of James being left vulnerable and without a voice in where or how he would live weighed heavily on both parents. Their goal became clear — to find a place they trusted while they were still healthy and able to be involved.

Colin described their hope 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.”

However, for the actor, it was also about expanding James’s world. “He needs a bigger life than we can afford him,” he explained. That vision included daily routines and experiences that would give James a sense of participation and joy. Colin said:

“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.”

What they wanted, more than anything, was for their son to have “a full and happy life.” James’s sensitivity to the people around him was also an important factor.

Colin noted that his son could easily tell when someone truly wanted to be with him and when they were simply fulfilling an obligation. If a caregiver or therapist wasn’t fully present — wasn’t engaged with real care and warmth — James would shut down emotionally.

That intuitive response shaped how Colin and Kim approached the search for a facility. They weren’t just looking for professional care; they were looking for connection, community, and genuine human engagement.

“That is very reasonable. He and his ex wife want him to be in a proper home with a community so that he’s safe and cared for,” one netizen commented in part. Another shared, “He is a loving father and can afford to care for him independently but he will get better care, and development in a facility.”

In the end, Colin Farrell and Kim’s decision to place their son in a facility isn’t about stepping back — it is about planning ahead.

A third person typed, “Just because you can afford to take care of someone doesn’t mean you have the best ability to do it.” Someone else wrote, “Walk in his shoes before you judge.”

But despite Colin and Kim’s commitment, the journey to find appropriate care hadn’t been easy. Colin acknowledged the challenges they faced and how those struggles had influenced his decision to launch a foundation.

“It’s been a struggle for us to find suitable residential care,” he revealed. That personal frustration led to a broader realization — if he, with his resources and visibility, encountered such barriers, what must it be like for families without those advantages?

The Hollywood star admitted that although he had long felt the urge to address the matter, raising his own two children had consumed much of his attention.

Now that they were older, he felt better positioned to invest in something more lasting. “It’s early days for the foundation yet,” he said, “so we’re still on baby steps.”

In the end, Colin Farrell and Kim’s decision to place their son in a facility isn’t about stepping back — it is about planning ahead. By placing James in residential care while they’re still present, they’re ensuring he’ll have the structure, connection, and care he needs for the long term.