Colin Farrell has spent more than two decades carving out a reputation as one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood. From his breakout in Joel Schumacher’s Tigerland to the twisted comedy of In Bruges and the melancholy beauty of The Banshees of Inisherin, Farrell has proven himself equally adept at playing hardened men, flawed dreamers, and quiet romantics. Yet, for all his talents, one thing has never been associated with the Irish star: the world of musical theater.
That’s exactly why his latest film, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (in theaters September 19), feels so surprising and, in many ways, so refreshing. In it, Farrell stars opposite Margot Robbie in a surreal, colorful, and emotionally rich exploration of memory, romance, and the strange ways in which we hold on to — and let go of — our pasts. For Farrell, the role presented an unexpected challenge: stepping onto a stage, in character, and performing a full-on musical number in front of a packed audience.
“It was the one scene that made me think, ‘I’m not sure if I’m going to do the film,’” Farrell admitted, half-jokingly, in a recent conversation. The scene in question takes his character, David, back to his teenage years, where he finds himself the star of his high school production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Farrell sings, dances, and even leads a sing-along with an entire audience — complete with jazz hands and choreographed steps.
For Farrell, who grew up the son of a professional footballer and spent most of his youth chasing a ball rather than practicing scales or stage blocking, the sequence was an intimidating leap. “I was too busy kicking a football around until my mid-teens,” he confessed. But once he pushed past the initial discomfort, something surprising happened: he had fun. “It all felt very alive and very real,” he said. “Once I got out of my own way, I actually had a good time.”
If Farrell approached the scene with trepidation, Margot Robbie experienced it with glee. “I was positively gleeful watching Colin do his little jazz hands and jazz feet,” she recalled with a laugh. “It was great.”
Robbie plays Sarah, a lifelong musical fan whose childhood bedroom walls were plastered with posters of West Side Story and Singin’ in the Rain. Though Robbie has experience singing and dancing on-screen in projects like Babylon, Barbie, and Amsterdam, she insists she’s no true vocalist. “I don’t have a singing voice,” she quipped. “Growing up, I didn’t get to be in the musicals, which was devastating. But like Sarah, I was a musical groupie. I’d sit and watch all the school musicals and just think, ‘God, I wish I could sing.’ But I did the plays instead.”
Her love of the genre shines through Sarah, who represents the idealism of musicals but also wrestles with real-world heartbreak. Sarah and David, the two central figures of A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, are adults carrying the weight of past regrets. They are hesitant to reenter relationships, but through their surreal odyssey together, they confront the fragility and beauty of connection.
Guiding Farrell and Robbie through this cinematic experiment is director Kogonada, whose past works (Columbus, After Yang) are known for their meditative beauty and quiet humanity. This time, he leaned into something more colorful and whimsical, but without losing his trademark introspection.
He gave the actors an unusual kind of homework: a list of films that blended heightened style with deep emotion. Among them were Frank Capra classics and Federico Fellini’s dreamlike dramas, each selected to prepare the stars for a project that embraces the Technicolor extravagance of musicals while grounding it in real, raw feelings.
“Have we grown cynical about the possibility of real connection?” Kogonada mused. “And what do we need to confront to have belief in that again? These are two adults who grew up loving musicals and believing in them. How do you retain that romance, but also be honest about the reality of the world?”
That tension — between idealism and disillusionment, hope and hesitation — drives A Big Bold Beautiful Journey.
Though both Farrell and Robbie have been in the industry for years, they had never truly worked together until now. They recall crossing paths briefly at awards events and Hollywood gatherings, but the film gave them the first real opportunity to collaborate.
“There was an instant familiarity that I felt with Margot,” Farrell said warmly. Robbie agreed, noting that they quickly bonded over food and a shared love of nature. “We both eat a lot and get excited about our meals,” she said, teasing Farrell. “You have an alarming amount of salt on your food, and you never drink water!”
Their natural banter and warmth clearly carried over onto the screen. The relationship between David and Sarah required intimacy, vulnerability, and playfulness, and the two actors leaned into those demands with ease. Watching them together, it’s difficult to believe this is their first major project as co-stars.
At its core, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is not simply a love story — it’s a meditation on what it means to carry our histories, mistakes, and hopes into the future. Both David and Sarah struggle with the lingering weight of their pasts. Their surreal journey through memory forces them to revisit regrets, reframe experiences, and eventually confront the possibility of connection again.
For Farrell, this theme resonated deeply. “It’s an incredibly sweet look at what it is to love and let go of the past,” he said. In his own life, he finds echoes of these lessons everywhere. “It all snowballs: film, friendship, parenthood. You can learn about romance through being a parent. You can learn about caregiving through being in a romantic relationship. It all just cascades for me.”
Robbie shared similar sentiments, describing the film as a “heart-opener” that reminded her why she loves the craft of acting. “It reaffirmed the gratitude and joy I get from making movies,” she said.
The arrival of A Big Bold Beautiful Journey comes at a time when audiences are hungry for stories that balance escapism with emotional authenticity. In recent years, musicals have experienced a revival, from La La Land to The Greatest Showman and even Spielberg’s West Side Story. Yet what sets this film apart is its blending of dreamlike fantasy with the grounded realism that Kogonada is known for.
Instead of simply dazzling with spectacle, the movie digs into questions of forgiveness, connection, and resilience. What does it take to risk love again after being hurt? How do we reconcile our idealistic visions of romance — shaped by art and memory — with the messy, unpredictable reality of human relationships?
These are questions that resonate not only with the characters but with audiences navigating an increasingly complicated world.
For Colin Farrell, the journey of making this film was transformative. Not only did it push him into a genre he never expected to enter, but it also challenged him to embrace discomfort and vulnerability in new ways. The musical sequence that once filled him with dread became one of the most memorable parts of the shoot — not because he nailed every step, but because he allowed himself to be present, playful, and imperfect.
That openness, both on-screen and off, has long been one of Farrell’s greatest strengths. Audiences connect with him not only as a performer but as a human being willing to explore the awkward, funny, painful, and tender aspects of life. In A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, that quality shines brighter than ever.
For Margot Robbie, the film adds another fascinating chapter to an already dynamic career. She has oscillated seamlessly between commercial juggernauts like Barbie and daring, unconventional projects like I, Tonya and Babylon. Here, she combines her love for musicals with her ability to inhabit complex, layered characters.
Her Sarah is not merely a romantic lead but a woman grappling with insecurities, regrets, and hopes. Robbie brings humor, pathos, and charm to the role, ensuring that Sarah feels as relatable as she is enchanting.
Together, Robbie, Farrell, and Kogonada have crafted a film that is as playful as it is poignant, as whimsical as it is wise. A Big Bold Beautiful Journey invites audiences to laugh, sing, and dream, but also to reflect on the ways we carry our pasts and open ourselves to the possibility of love.
For Farrell, the experience of singing on stage in front of a crowd — something he once swore he’d never do — became symbolic of the film’s larger message. Sometimes, in order to grow, we have to step into discomfort, face our fears, and rediscover joy on the other side.
“It was fun, in spite of myself,” Farrell admitted. “And once I got over the initial discomfort, I did enjoy it somewhat. The energy was lovely.”
As audiences prepare to embark on their own journey alongside David and Sarah, one thing is clear: Farrell and Robbie have created something rare — a film that manages to be bold, beautiful, and deeply human all at once.
