THIS Was The Time Colin Farrell Was Questioned For Murder!

The Irish actor talked about his ordeal Thursday on NBC's The Tonight Show during a game called 'True Confessions.' "When I was a late teen, I got brought in for questioning as a suspect in an attempted murder," Farrell said. "I saw a photofit of the guy who actually did the crime and it looked remarkably like me and for a second, because I had had a blackout that night, I wondered, 'Could I have done such a thing?'"

The drawing bore a striking resemblance to Farrell and depicted a man accused of a violent crime. The actor recalled, "I was supposed to bring my mother to the airport. I was in Sydney, Australia, and I was pulled in by the cops and they showed me a photofit of a pencil sketch of the guy that...had attempted to murder this other gentleman." This shocking incident left Farrell in disbelief, contemplating the gravity of the situation.

The cops said he had had "beat him up and left him in his own apartment and set the apartment on fire and split, thereby leaving the guy to burn to death and it was 'me.' They said, 'What do you think about that picture?' And I went, 'I, I, I think I'm in trouble.'"

Luckily, he was nowhere near the scene of the reported crime...although he wasn't exactly on his best behavior at the time, either.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was terrifying," he said. "I was there for about six hours and then, thankfully a friend of mine had kept a journal and [at] that particular night and that particular time, we were at a party on the other side of town, doing ecstasy."

Fortunately, a friend of Farrell's had kept a journal that proved to be his saving grace. On the night in question, the journal documented that Farrell was at a party on the other side of town, far from the crime scene. The actor shared, "Thankfully a friend of mine had kept a journal and [at] that particular night and that particular time, we were at a party on the other side of town, doing ecstasy." This crucial piece of evidence ultimately cleared him of any wrongdoing, allowing him to walk free.

Growing up in Dublin meant Farrell was exposed to a city rich in culture, but also one grappling with social and economic challenges. Farrell himself has often mentioned that his family, while not wealthy, had a strong sense of community, and he was influenced by the resilience and working-class ethos that characterized much of Dublin life. As a teenager, Farrell became keenly aware of the socio-economic issues facing Ireland, especially during the economic downturn in the early '90s. This period was marked by high unemployment, social unrest, and a rapidly changing Ireland, which would later inform many of his character choices and his commitment to the roles he would play in his career.

The Farrell family dynamic had a major influence on Colin’s outlook. His father, Eamon, a former professional footballer, was a disciplinarian with high expectations. While Colin didn’t follow in his father’s athletic footsteps, he was inspired by his dad’s dedication, work ethic, and the sense of responsibility he had instilled in him. At the same time, his mother, Rita, who had a deep love for literature, nurtured Farrell's imagination. Their support and encouragement provided him with a stable foundation that would help him later navigate the complexities of fame and success.

Farrell’s family wasn’t the only influence on his early development. Growing up in Dublin, he was exposed to a wealth of literature, theatre, and music, all central to the Irish cultural identity. Farrell’s early exposure to stories, especially Irish folklore and dramatic traditions, gave him a profound respect for narrative and performance. His neighborhood, full of characters and stories of its own, provided the backdrop for his early creative impulses.

Farrell’s first real taste of acting came during his time at the Drama School at Dublin's renowned Drama Academy. It was here, as a teenager, that he began to pursue the craft seriously. Although he had been more inclined toward sports in his younger years, acting seemed to offer an outlet for his creativity and intense emotional expression.

His big break came when he was just 16, landing a role in a popular television series, 'Ballykissangel', a small-screen drama set in rural Ireland. Though his role was minor, it gave him the opportunity to hone his acting skills and exposed him to the professional world of acting.