Colin James Farrell (born May 31, 1976) is a Golden Globe and IFTA-winning Irish actor, who has appeared in Hollywood films including Tigerland, Daredevil, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, Alexander, In Bruges, and S.W.A.T.

Farrell was born in Castleknock, Dublin, the son of Rita, a housewife, and Eamon, a footballer who played for Shamrock Rovers FC. His uncle Tommy Farrell also played for Rovers. Farrell has three siblings: two sisters, Claudine (who is his personal assistant) and Catherine; and a brother, Eamon jnr. Farrell was educated at St. Brigid's National School Castleknock followed by Castleknock College and Gormanston College. Farrell auditioned for the Irish group Boyzone when he was still unknown, but was unsuccessful. Farrell attended The Gaiety School of Acting, but dropped out and was cast in the part of Danny Byrne on Ballykissangel, a BBC television drama. Farrell appeared on the show from 1998 to 1999.

Farrell had small parts in television shows and films, including the BBC drama Ballykissangel in 1998 and his film debut in Tim Roth's The War Zone. Then in 2000, he was cast in the lead role of Private Roland Bozz in Tigerland, an American film directed by Joel Schumacher. Farrell's next American films, American Outlaws (2001) and Hart's War (2002), were not commercially successful, but his 2003 films, including Phone Booth, S.W.A.T., and The Recruit were well-received box office successes. Although he has a pronounced Irish accent, Farrell uses an American accent in some of his films including American Outlaws and his breakthrough role, Tigerland. Farrell is also a proven supporting actor, given his performances as an ambitious cop who chases after a potential criminal, played by actor Tom Cruise in Minority Report (2002), and as the skilled villain Bullseye in Daredevil (2003).