Farrell cleans up

Colin Farrell has never been a man of moderation, said Chris Ayres in The Times (U.K.). “I’ve been an addict since I was a kid. I’m not joking—you can ask my mother,” says the Irish actor, 36. “I had a [chocolate] addiction for six months when I was 7. I’d go on mashed potato binges, tins of tuna benders. Whatever made me feel good.” His addictions grew worse when he moved to Hollywood at age 22, winning roles in movies like Minority Report and Miami Vice. For years, Farrell drank two bottles of Johnnie Walker a day and consumed copious amounts of drugs. This toxic lifestyle took its toll on his body: Just before Christmas 2005, Farrell found himself in so much pain that he thought he was dying. “You don’t have to have a degree in medicine to know when your body’s shutting down. I didn’t think I had much longer.” He checked himself into rehab and sobered up. The biggest reward of being clean, says Farrell, is the amount of time he now has to spend with his sons, James, 9, and Henry, 3. “Honestly, I’ve got eight hours a day now that I didn’t have before when I was drinking every day.”

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