Colin Farrell’s recent revelations about his experience while filming “Minority Report” shed light on a tumultuous day that left co-star Tom Cruise fuming. During his recent appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Farrell let slip a rather shocking admission. He candidly shared that he arrived drunk on set, leading to close to a hundred takes just to get one line of dialogue right. This tragic incident illuminates the broader effects in the high-pressure, high-stakes environment of Hollywood.
On May 31, Farrell made the request for the day off to celebrate his birthday. Instead, he was assigned a 6 a.m. pickup time. Despite this, he arrived on set after a night of heavy drinking, stating, “I got up to all sorts of nonsense the night before.” To cure his hangover, Robert ordered six Pacifico Cervezas. In a last ditch effort to get himself through the day of filming in front of him, he snatched a pack of 20 Marlboro Reds.
His condition did not go unnoticed. One time an assistant director informed him that he was not allowed to be on set with that condition. Still, Farrell remained cheerful, and was set on making the most of the day. Cruise’s reaction was far less forgiving. Specifically, he seemed particularly concerned that Farrell had lost his cool and allegedly went on the defensive to protect the professionalism of the set.
“I don’t ever want to see it again. Ever!” – Tom Cruise
Whether it was the prosthetics required, Farrell’s character in “Minority Report” having to be utterly sober-minded. This requirement introduced additional layers of challenge to his performance. The Mr. Robot actor would go on to say the day was actually one of the worst he’d ever had working on a set.
“I’m sure you’ve all grasped the fundamental paradox of precrime methodology.” – Colin Farrell
The struggles depicted by Farrell are not isolated incidents in Hollywood, where method acting techniques have been employed by various actors throughout film history. This is not new to iconic practitioners such as Fred Astaire and Robert Shaw. Billy Bob Thornton and Nicolas Cage have participated in the trend, as well. Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher even established a legacy on the set of “The Empire Strikes Back,” arriving fresh from parties, which may have influenced Farrell’s approach.
Farrell’s past battles with drugs and alcohol have been widely chronicled. In 2005, he voluntarily entered a rehabilitation center to address his drug and alcohol addictions. He came back for a second stint in 2018, mostly as a precautionary measure to guard against relapse. Looking back, these historical obstacles probably influenced Spielberg’s perspective while producing “Minority Report.”
In Farrell’s ongoing journey through recovery and self-discovery, he is quick to point out the beauty in confronting the personal. Though that day was certainly a chaotic one, he continues to have hope for growth and improvement all around. Both in his life and in his work.