The movie that made Colin Farrell feel like a “crap actor”
Since making his feature film debut in Tim Roth’s directorial debut in the late 1990s, Colin Farrell has become one of the most beloved actors in modern cinema. His cheeky persona and undeniable talent have endeared him to fans and casting directors alike, allowing the Irish actor to hone a filmography unlike any of his peers, but there is one project Farrell instantly regretted.
Long before he won a cult following through collaborations with Yorgos Lanthimos and Sofia Coppola, Farrell took a starring role in Oliver Stone’s 2004 film Alexander. Taking on the titular role, Farrell embodied Alexander the Great in an on-screen dramatisation of the king’s battles and relationships.
Though Farrell was supported by a stellar cast that included Angelina Jolie and Anthony Hopkins, the film would come under heavy criticism when it hit theatres. This reaction was unexpected for a young Farrell, who had been primed to expect award success. “Expectation is a dangerous thing,” he declared during a roundtable for The Hollywood Reporter.
After shooting over the course of six months and over three continents, Farrell and his colleagues were already suited and booted for awards season. “When I say ‘expectation,’ we all had our tuxedos ready,” he clarified, “I’m not even joking. We were all like, ‘Right, lads, we’re off to the Oscars. This is a sure thing.’ And then it came out.”
Much to Farrell’s disappointment, Alexander was to receive far more nods at parody awards like the Golden Raspberries than it would at any legitimate Hollywood ceremonies. Unable to access the thoughts of critics via the internet, Farrell learned of the film’s fate through printed reviews via his publicist.
“One after another was telling me to pack my bags, I’d been found out: ‘Alexander the Dull’, ‘Alexander the Boring’, ‘Alexander the Inarticulate’, ‘Alexander the Weak’,” he recalled. The reaction unnerved the young actor, who immediately began to doubt his own place in the industry, fighting the urge to anyone he met who had seen the film and escaping on a ski getaway.
“I did question,” he admitted, “I went, ‘I’m just shite at it. I’m a crap actor. I’ve been found out.”
Though the response to one of his biggest early roles was less than complimentary, Farrell’s assertions were way off. Less than two decades later, he’s one of the most critically acclaimed names in his craft. Last year, he even got the opportunity to get the tux out for the Oscars, receiving a ‘Best Actor’ nomination for The Banshees of Insherin.
Watch the trailer for Alexander below.