Colin Farrell got candid about his time on the set of Steven Spielberg's Minority Report in 2002, during which he requested to get a day off for his birthday. He recalled on The Late Show: "It was my birthday on May 31, and we were shooting, and I begged production [to get off]. Who did I think I was? [Asking] of a $120 million film if they [could] not have me working on my birthday." His request was denied and he went ahead and partied the night away anyway.
Colin explained: "So of course my pickup was 6 a.m. and May 31, and I got up to all sorts of nonsense the night before. And I remember getting into bed and as soon as I turned off the light, the phone rang and it was the driver, [who] said, 'It's 10 past 6,' And I went, 'Oh [expletive].'"
When he arrived on set, assistant director David H. Venghaus Jr. told him: "You can't go to the set like this." Colin recalled: "And I went, 'Just get me six Pacifico Cervezas and a packet of 20 [Marlboro] Red.' Now, listen, it's not cool because two years later I went to rehab, right? But it worked in the moment. All the holy people that we look to on how to live a life would say the present is all that counts."
Colin's A-list co-star Tom Cruise was frustrated with the actor due to the extra work and time he had to put in due to the actor's wild night. Colin revealed: "We did 46 takes. Tom wasn't very happy with me. Tom, who I love, was not very happy!" The performer struggled that day and called the experience "terrible."
© Getty ImagesHe added: "I will never forget the line I had that I couldn't get out. It was, 'I'm sure you've all grasped the fundamental paradox of pre-crime methodology.' That was the line that started the scene. I remember [the crew] coming up and saying, 'Do you want to go out and take a breath of fresh air?'"
Colin added: "And I remember thinking, 'If I go out and take a breath of fresh air, then I'll be under more pressure when I come back in to be better.' And I went, 'No, we'll just go through it.'" That moment, although uncomfortable, served as a wake-up call for Colin. He went to rehab in December 2005 with his son James being his inspiration and he was released in 2006.
© Getty ImagesHe revealed on The Late Show With David Letterman: "Having my son, as well, was the primary reason. I just wanted to be there for him. I wanted to be clear, be around him, and remember being with him." He continued: "It was horrible in one way, because I went away because I was pretty sick."
© Getty ImagesColin added: "But in another way it was great, because it was a very safe environment with a bunch of people who were looking to sort out things in their life." Since then, he has remained sober and in 2018 he even voluntarily went to rehab to stay proactive about his previous struggles.
