COLIN FARRELL ACCEPTED the Golden Globes’ award for Best Actor last night, before using his speech to thank colleagues from Banshees of Inisherin as well as throw lighthearted digs at Barry Keoghan and the event’s organisers.
The actor had special praise for Martin McDonagh, writer and director of the film, for “changing the trajectory” of his life by pairing him with Brendan Gleeson in his 2008 dark comedy, In Bruges.
Beginning his acceptance speech for the role of Pádraic Súilleabháin in the tragicomedy, Farrell praised actress Ana de Armas, who presented the award.
“Ana, I thought you were extraordinary. I cried myself to sleep the night that I saw your film Blonde,” he said.
The film is a fictionalized portrayal of the life of Marilyn Monroe, played by de Armas, which features the icon’s 1962 suicide.
“Something to do with the music as well at the moment where the shot opens, and you just see her ankles at the edge of the bed. It messed me up so bad,” Farrell continued.
“Not a joke but you’re welcome to laugh. It’s not my place to say what’s appropriate laughter in this world. I want to thank Peter Chernin. I want to thank Ray Broadwell from Blueprint. Matthew Greenfield and David Greenbaum from Searchlight. So many people from FoxFilm.”
Colin Farrell wins the award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy Motion Picture at the #GoldenGlobes. pic.twitter.com/gfzrB0JGBw
— NBC Entertainment (@nbc) January 11, 2023
Farrell then turned his attention to McDonagh and his co-stars from Banshees of Inisherin.
“Martin McDonagh I owe you so much man. 14 years ago, you put me working with Brendan Gleeson, my dance partner, and you changed the trajectory of my life forever in ways that I begrudgingly will be grateful to you for the rest of my days,” he joked.
“To work on this film, I never expect films to work or to find an audience and when they do it’s shocking to me and so I’m so horrified by what’s happened around Banshees over the last couple of months in a thrilling kind of way.”
Farrell, from Castleknock in Dublin, landed his first major role in the BBC series Ballykissangel at age 22 before appearing in a variety of independent films in the early 2000s.
He appeared in the dark comedy Intermission with Cillian Murphy, which held the record for highest-grossing Irish independent film in Irish box-office history for three years.
Farrell also featured in the Joel Schumacher-directed film Tigerland and began to star alongside major actors such as Tom Cruise and Ben Affleck.
His first Golden Globe was for In Bruges in 2008, which like Banshees, saw him act alongside Gleeson under the direction of McDonagh.
The actor also had kind words for Gleeson, who plays the former friend of Farrell’s Súilleabháin.
“Brendan, I just love you so much. I love you so much. To get to cohabitate this creative space with you every day, all I did when I came to work everyday was aspire to be your equal. I’m not saying I even got there but the aspiration kept me going. I thank you for that for the rest of my days.”
Farrell then turned his attention to Kerry Condon, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as the sister of Farrell’s character.
As he continued speaking, a piano began to play signalling that he should wrap up his speech.
“Kerry, to finally see the world after 20 years of acting – you can forget that piano!” he joked, turning his attention away from the Tipperary actress briefly.
“To finally see the world after 20 years of acting, find your work now, you’re extraordinary,” Farrell said, before offering some lighthearted mentorship to co-star Barry Keoghan.
“Barry, when you’re sharing a house with an actor you’re working with, a word of advice: don’t eat his Crunchy Nut Cornflakes and leave him with no breakfast in the morning. Never send a man to work on an empty belly.”
“I want to thank Sheila Flitton who played our Banshee. I want to thank the cast and the crew and the locals of Inishmore and Achill islands that brought us in and there was lines blurred between all of us so that we were just one big family for the betterment of all of our souls on that experience.”
“And lastly, Jenny the donkey, who is having an early retirement. And my kids at home are watching this, James and Henry the loves of my life.”
The actor also won the Volpie Cup for Best Actor, the premiere award for actors presented at the Venice Film Festival, for his role in Banshees of Inisherin.
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