Colin Farrell no longer recognises himself.

The Colin Farrell that used to go on five month benders, and find himself drinking alone until 5:30am on the odd occasion that the party "finished too early", that is.

You know the one: the Colin Farrell who was romantically linked to a string of beautiful women, including Playboy model Nicola Narain.

Their sex tape was leaked in 2003, and Farrell was reportedly offered $5 million for the rights from porn distributors. Not surprisingly, he turned them down.

Looking back on his formative years Farrell admitted to Dublin Live: "It's hard for me to relate to that chapter of my life"

"It all happened so fast. Success can be dangerous, especially when you're young. It creates a false reality and you lose touch with things that really matter."

He knew that the tendency to spiral out of control was "something that was in me" after he began to drink and experiment with drugs in his teens.

But when he got his big break from Kevin Spacey who recommended him for Ordinary Decent Criminals, the fame that ensued over the following years would only accelerate that tendency.

"I used to go bananas for five months then take the foot off the gas for two months and clean up a bit. I was sad. I was drinking loads."

"I remember thinking one day that I'll go to New York, buy £2,000 of smack and rent a bedsit, put black sacks on the window and shoot up until I die."

Thankfully, now he is more of a yoga and chill kind of guy, thanks in part to his two sons James, 13 and Henry, 8. He says they keep him grounded and he is committed to being "the best possible father".

"A lot of my attitudes in life have changed," he said. "And I've learnt that your family and your children are the emotional ties that matter most to you."

Good on you, Col.

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