Colin Farrell revealed that during the filming of the 2002 sci-fi/action film Minority Report, Tom Cruise was displeased with his performance on a challenging scene. Farrell, who played Department of Justice agent Danny Witwer alongside Cruise, recounted this difficult experience during a recent interview, sharing how a struggle with a single line resulted in tension on set.
Colin Farrell’s Difficult Day on Set
During an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Farrell described one of the toughest days he faced while filming Minority Report. It coincided with his birthday on May 31st, a day for which he had hoped not to work. Farrell asked the production team if he could have the day off, acknowledging the scale of the $120 million film, but they only replied,
“Well, we’ll see what we can do.”
He chose an early morning call time of 6 a.m., but after a night of celebration, Farrell was caught off guard when he received a call from the driver at 6:10 a.m.
“As soon as I turned off the light, the phone rang and it was the driver outside, [he] said, ‘It’s 10 past six,’ and I went, ‘Oh, sh-t,’”
Farrell recalled.
Struggling Through the Scene
Upon arriving at the trailer, Farrell was met by Dave Venghaus, the third assistant director, who immediately told him he couldn’t appear on set in his condition. Farrell requested
“six Pacifico cervezas and a pack of 20 Red,”
admitting the choice was unhealthy but helped him cope in the moment. Despite this, the challenge only intensified.
He struggled repeatedly with his first line of the scene:
“I’m sure you’ve all grasped the fundamental paradox of pre-crime methodology.”
Farrell revealed this line caused him to fail take after take, saying,
“It took 46 takes. Tom wasn’t very happy with me.”
Pressure and Perseverance During Filming
Even when offered a break to gather himself, Farrell refused, aware that stepping away might increase the pressure on his return. The refusal to pause added to the difficulty, deepening the anxious atmosphere of the shoot. The interaction highlights the high expectations on actors when working alongside stars like Cruise on a major production.
Legacy and Current Work
Minority Report’s impact extended beyond the original film, with a sequel TV series airing a decade later on Fox, featuring actors such as Meagan Good and Wilmer Valderrama. Meanwhile, Farrell continues to build his career, currently starring in Netflix’s new movie Ballad of a Small Player, signaling his ongoing presence in major productions following his tense experience with Tom Cruise on set.
