Colin Farrell Recalls His “Worst Day on Set” — and Why Tom Cruise Wasn’t Happy During Minority Report Filming

Oscar-nominated actor Colin Farrell has opened up about a difficult day early in his career — one that left Tom Cruise less than impressed during the filming of Steven Spielberg’s 2002 sci-fi blockbuster Minority Report.

During an appearance Tuesday on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the 49-year-old Irish actor reflected on his turbulent younger years in Hollywood, recalling the moment he showed up to set hungover after a night of heavy partying — a mistake he still remembers vividly more than two decades later.

“I Had One of the Worst Days I’ve Ever Had”

At the time, Minority Report was one of Farrell’s first major Hollywood productions. He was only 25 and sharing the screen with two of cinema’s biggest names — Cruise and Spielberg — an opportunity he described as both thrilling and intimidating.

“I had one of the worst days I’ve ever had on a film set,” Farrell admitted, drawing laughs from the studio audience. “It was my birthday, May 31, and we were shooting. I begged production — who did I think I was? — not to have me working on my birthday.”

The actor went on to describe how his request was ignored and that his call time was set for 6 a.m. the next morning. “Of course, I got up to all sorts of nonsense the night before,” he said. “I remember getting into bed, turning off the light, and then the phone rang. It was the driver saying, ‘It’s ten past six.’ And I went, ‘Oh, s—.’”

Hungover on a Spielberg Set

Farrell recalled arriving at the Minority Report set in rough shape, where the first assistant director, David H. Venghaus Jr., immediately told him he couldn’t go on camera looking the way he did.

“And I went, ‘Just get me six Pacifico Cervezas and a packet of 20 Marlboro Reds,’” Farrell joked, prompting laughter from the audience.

He clarified that while the story is funny in hindsight, it represented a darker time in his life. “Now, listen, it’s not cool because two years later I went to rehab,” Farrell said, “but it worked in the moment.”

Despite his condition, the actor attempted to push through the scene — one that required a dense, technical line of dialogue about the futuristic “Pre-Crime” system central to the film’s plot.

“The line was, ‘I’m sure you’ve all grasped the fundamental paradox of pre-crime methodology,’” Farrell recalled. “And I couldn’t get it out. I kept tripping over it, over and over again.”

46 Takes and a Frustrated Co-Star

The actor said that the scene ended up taking 46 takes, and by the end, tensions were running high.

“Tom wasn’t very happy with me,” Farrell confessed. “Tom, who I love, was not very happy.”

Despite the rough day, Farrell spoke warmly of Cruise, saying there was no lasting animosity between the two. “Tom’s an absolute professional, one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen,” he said. “I learned a lot from watching him — even when I was in no state to take anything in.”

The actor also credited the experience as one of the moments that ultimately pushed him toward sobriety. “That period of my life was chaotic,” he told Colbert. “I was drinking, using, and pretending everything was fine. But a few years later, I realized it wasn’t sustainable — and getting sober became essential, not just for my career but for my life.”

From Chaos to Clarity

Farrell entered rehab in 2005, later saying his decision to get clean was inspired by his eldest son, James, who was born with special needs. In the years since, he’s spoken candidly about recovery and how it reshaped both his personal life and career trajectory.

“Once I stopped drinking, I rediscovered how much I actually loved acting,” he has said in past interviews. “Before that, I was just surviving it.”

Today, Farrell is regarded as one of Hollywood’s most respected actors, known for his work in The Banshees of Inisherin, The Batman, and The Lobster. His 2023 Oscar nomination for Best Actor marked a full-circle moment for a performer once known more for tabloid headlines than critical acclaim.

A Sci-Fi Classic That Endured

Released in 2002, Minority Report was based on Philip K. Dick’s 1956 short story and set in a futuristic Washington, D.C. where “Pre-Crime” police units arrest people before they commit offenses, using psychic “pre-cogs” to predict criminal behavior.

Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film paired Cruise’s physical intensity with a complex narrative about fate, freedom, and morality. Farrell played Danny Witwer, a Justice Department agent investigating the ethics of the Pre-Crime program.

The film grossed over $358 million worldwide and was hailed for its visionary design and themes that continue to resonate more than 20 years later.

A Lesson Learned

Looking back, Farrell told Colbert that the experience — though humiliating — ultimately became one of his most valuable professional lessons.

“I’ll never forget that day,” he said. “It taught me respect — for the work, for the people, and for myself.”

He smiled as the audience laughed and applauded. “And for what it’s worth,” he added, “I haven’t missed a call time since.”