A HOLLYWOOD HERO
Posted Thursday, September 13th, 2007 at 9:01 am
Filed under: Colin-Farrell
Thanks to a sudden and kind gesture from Hollywood hearthrob Colin Farrell, a Toronto homeless man was treated to a superstar caliber shopping spree this week.
The hunky Irish actor was in town to promote his Woody Allen-directed drama, ‘Cassandra’s Dream’, when he ran into a homeless man — known to locals as Stress — whom he became friends with while filming in the city many years ago.
Colin proceeded to whisk his old friend to a downtown camping store where the movie star purchased a host of items for him, including new clothes, a backpack and a sleeping bag.
The kindness didn’t end there. The Toronto Sun reports that Colin also stopped at an ATM to withdraw money (to the sum of $830), which he gave to the homeless man so that he could use it to rent a place to live.
With such a thoughtful and generous heart, it’s almost impossible not to forgive Colin for remaking ‘Miami Vice.’ Keep up the good work, stud!
September 13th, 2007 at 9:07 am
he’s gross and dirty- he and Britney should hook up again.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Not to sound callous at all, but why didn’t he buy him an RV at least or something?
September 13th, 2007 at 9:17 am
Pure class. Poster above; a dick.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:59 am
Pretty damn nice of him…….
September 13th, 2007 at 10:09 am
Well, you know what they say…give a man a fish…
September 13th, 2007 at 10:10 am
Toronto Sun is such a garbage paper. The front page is… Colin Farrell, who I do like, but really? Headline news?
September 13th, 2007 at 10:43 am
very nice of him but remaking miami vice is not and will never be forgivable!
September 13th, 2007 at 11:07 am
I hate the Sun as well…all trash.
This story was all over all the TO morning shows, though
September 13th, 2007 at 11:29 am
Love him and I’m not suprised. He’s always been a sweetheart.
September 13th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
http://www.torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2007/09/13/4492608-sun.html
The beggars of Yorkville have eyes as big as pans these days. All those film stars. All that spare change. But a street regular known as Stress has struck gold. Pure Irish gold …
Lunchtime. Eighty fans with Kodaks and pens are poised outside the InterContinental Hotel on Bloor St. The brass door spits out an A-lister. Colin Farrell. Not sure which dark, musky hunk is Farrell? Ask your wife. Her knees will buckle.
Anyway, Farrell is no snob. Patiently, he signs for everyone, then turns toward his chauffeured, charcoal Audi. And there stands Stress. For years, he has haunted Yorkville and environs, peddling Outreach papers or mooching loonies.
“Peaceful, harmless guy,” coffee salesman Bill Ikos, 32, tells me. Bill’s hobby is photographing stars, often in Yorkville, which is how he knows Stress. Bill is outside the InterContinental for the hunk/homeless hug. “Hiya,” says Stress. The film star’s eyes light up.
Four years ago, He was in town shooting A Home At The End Of The World. A radio babe offered $2,000 to anyone who could bring Colin Farrell (sigh!) down to the station. Farrell grabbed the first rubby he saw and, bingo, Stress was $2,000 richer. “Jump in,” Farrell says at the reunion Tuesday.
I wish I’d been a fly in that Audi. Down to Front St. they cruise, to Europe Bound Travel Outfitters. “Get him anything he wants,” says Farrell, in that commanding Irish tone. He wears jeans and a black muscle shirt. Women staffers swoon. And not just over the bill, which comes to $2,100.
“Cool guy,” manager Dave Mott, 36, tells me. “He doesn’t act like a movie star.”
Mott plans to tour Ireland by bike. “Don’t miss the Ring Of Kerry,” says Farrell, 31, born in Castleknock, Dublin, a preemie at 1 pound, 6 ounces. Maybe that explains all this. They roam the store, Colin and Stress, cracking jokes, trying things on.
“Like they were best buddies,” says Mott.
“The homeless guy was going around, grabbing stuff.” Stress talks fast, hence the nickname.
“Whatever he needs,” Farrell says again.
They pick out a $500 Arc’teryx coat, a North Face down sleeping bag, and a rolling backpack stuffed with socks, boots and underwear.
“Everything top line,” says Mott.
Yes, Stress will be the best-dressed beggar in Yorkville this winter. But hold on to your baseball cap. There’s more Stress relief.
“Where’s the nearest bank machine,” Farrell asks Mott.
He returns with a wad of $20s. AND, he arranges to pay a year’s rent on a nice room for Stress back up Bloor St. The total tab must be near 10 grand. Two and a half hours after Stress was swept off the street, he is back at Bellair and Cumberland.
“Where the hell you been?” says Bill Ikos.
“I’m all set up,” says Stress, a tad frazzled. “This is my chance to get off the street.” And he walks away.
“Amazing,” Bill tells me. “You hear about someone like Al Pacino giving $100 bills. But to take a guy shopping and try to help turn his life around?”
Good thing Stress didn’t run into Whoopi Goldberg or another star on the Yorkville panhandlers’ “avoid” list.
“She never gives anything,” says Joe Beard, who works Cumberland St. I’ve known Joe for years. Gentle as a dove. Kiefer Sutherland usually drops him a $10 or $20.
The film festival is high season for these guys. The Colin Farrell gesture has them abuzz, which is how I hear. No one in the actor’s camp, I hasten to add, has tried to use it. Funny thing. As Stress, Farrell and a couple of aides leave Europe Bound, the security beep goes off. Someone forgot to remove a tag.
Or it is the fates signalling thanks to a class act.
September 13th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
This truly touched my heart.. BRAVO Collin!
September 13th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
Alright, well, now I do feel a little bad about the RV comment. I didn’t know when I read it earlier that he is paying for a year’s worth of rent. I never saw “Miami Vice” but the previews themselves looked atrocious.
September 13th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
If everyone did more things like this the world would be a better place. I can’t imagine saying anything negative about such a kind gesture. Simply beautiful.
September 13th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
I think thats fantastic!! So nice of him! A thousand dollars or so is really nothing to Colin so its great to see him helping someone out. I hate seeing older men out on the streets, it makes me think of my grandpa and how upset I’d be if he was in that situation. And those who say Colin didn’t buy worthwhile things for him? A years worth rent, sleeping bag and clothes seem pretty worthwhile to me? He really didn’t need to buy him anything!
September 13th, 2007 at 3:29 pm
I’ve wanted to not like the guy for his womanizing ways but when I see him interviewed, he seems like such a sweet guy - not stuck on himself at all. After reading this, it makes me like him even more.
September 13th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
What a sweetheart :). I hope ‘Stress’ uses this as an opportunity to turn his life around.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
Yup, nice bloke. But he looks like the Pavarotti in that photo. Maybe it was a tribute.