Colin Farrell Hopes the World Treats His Son James with ‘Kindness and Respect’ (Exclusive)

Opening up his home and discussing life in detail for the first time with his son James, who has Angelman syndrome, was not in Colin Farrell’s comfort zone.

But in honor of his son (20), whom the actor shares with ex-model Kim Bordenave, Farrell (48) readily announced the start of his foundation that will help people with intellectual disabilities like James.

“It’s exciting, it feels like the right time,” the actor tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story. “I want the world to be good to my son. I want the world to treat him with kindness and respect.”

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Colin Farrell and his son James.

Cliff Watts

James “is an incredible 20 years old. He works incredibly hard to meet the benchmarks that we all perceive as typical human beings who don’t have cognitive issues or developmental delays,” Farrell says. “And he’s done amazing. He’s a really well-adjusted, happy young man. He’s outstanding.”

But looking ahead to the rest of his life, “my fear would be, God forbid, if and when something happened to James’ mother or me, that he would be 30 or 40 years old and have to go into some kind of institute or residential care, and he wouldn’t there was no one to invite him and take him to lunch and all that,” adds Farrell. “He has earned the right to a greater degree of individuality and autonomy in his life, and a greater degree of community than even I can offer him.”

Cliff Watts

Look for more of Farrell’s exclusive interview in this week’s issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.

As such, the Colin Farrell Foundation will support adult children with intellectual disabilities through advocacy, education and innovative programs.

“We want to take a good look at the housing potential for families with young adults who are ready to go out into the world and have a greater sense of community and connection,” says the actor.

Farrell credits both his sons (he is also father to Henry, 15, whom he shares with his ex-partner and Ondine Costar Alicja Bachleda-Curuś) because she made him a better man. “Everything is magnified when you have a child with special needs,” he says.

Courtesy of Colin Farrell

“James was about 2 years old when I got sober, and he was a big, big part of me when I put the bottle down. Because I wasn’t able to be a friend, let alone a father, to a child with such demanding needs. I had good fun and all that while I was much younger myself, but there were years when it got really dark, and I was going fast in one direction.”

Farrell insists “if it wasn’t for my sobriety, I wouldn’t be able to be with James and enjoy the wonder of his life and support him the way I feel I can,” he adds. “I don’t want to pretend I’m the perfect dad either. I fuck up left, right and center, but at least you have to be present to fuck, so I’m around.”

Courtesy of Colin Farrell

The actor’s sobriety and his sons “are the aspects of my life and presence in my life that I’m most grateful for,” he says. “I’m proud of both my boys. I’ve been blessed to have two really good young men in my care. I just adore them. And I don’t want to be like this is perfect, and I just tell them No, we have heated arguments and disagreements, and they happen things that are wrong, and I say it’s wrong and try to explain why I think that, but not that often, just really good guys.”

At moments when she allows herself to imagine James’ future without him, Farrell admits “it’s scary. If I’m even going to live a full life until, say, 80, it’s scary to think that I’m going to miss the last years of his life. Just because I’m not going to be there to I guard and protect,” he says. “It’s very important for James and all our kids to feel like they’re welcome, to feel like they’re part of the community. Not just because of a charitable effort or because we’re kind and doing the right thing, but out of a genuine desire to engage and we learn about each other.”

Cliff Watts

In a perfect world, James “will be somewhere he feels like he belongs and he’s safe, where he can garden and watch movies and swim in the pool and go to the beach and just have a full, meaningful, connected life,” the actor says. “That would be a dream.”

For more information or to find out how you can offer support, visit www.colinfarrellfoundation.org.

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Source: HIS Education