Colin Farrell: People call it work, and of course it is — but it’s also a lot of fun'
Colin Farrell as John Sugar. Picture: Apple TV+
Colin Farrell, who rose to prominence as a Hollywood leading man in the early 2000s, continues to reach new heights in his career.
The Irish actor, who celebrated his 50th birthday last month, won a Golden Globe last year for his performance in and received his first Oscar nomination in 2023 for
He is now reprising his role as John Sugar, the iconic Los Angeles private detective and film connoisseur, in the sci-noir series which he also executive produces.
The new season, created by Mark Protosevich, sees Sugar investigating the disappearance of the troubled older brother of a rising boxing star while continuing his own search for his missing sister.
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As the case unfolds and expands into something far more sinister, Sugar is drawn into a dangerous web of secrets and corruption, forcing him to confront just how far he is willing to go in pursuit of justice.
In addition to Farrell, season two of introduces new cast members Jin Ha, Raymond Lee, Tony Dalton, Laura Donnelly and Sasha Calle, alongside special guest star Shea Whigham.
Speaking about returning to the series, Farrell says: “It’s the same but different. At its core, it’s the same show, but it’s also a new experience.
“In my 25-year career, only twice have I returned to a role I’d already played — and . Both gave me the chance to revisit a character from a fresh perspective.
“It was loads of fun. I love this world and I love this character. It was a joy to return to it, especially surrounded by such brilliant actors.”
In the first season, it was revealed that Sugar was not from Earth. Following an emergency directive, his entire group of friends and support network were recalled to their home planet. Defying the order, however, Sugar chose to remain on Earth, leaving him to navigate life on his own.
As this next chapter begins, Sugar finds himself increasingly isolated. Without the network of people who once supported him and watched his back, he is forced to start from scratch.
“It was a whole new world and a lot of fun to explore. We got to ask questions like: Where would this guy go next? What would happen to him? How would he move through the world?” Farrell explains.
“Now that he’s truly on his own, the only one of his species left on the planet, what does life look like for John Sugar? Exploring that was a blast.
“And being an executive producer on the show has been incredibly rewarding. People call it work, and of course it is, but it’s also a lot of fun. Being involved from the very beginning and helping to build the world has been a real privilege.”
Farrell, who has also played detective Ray Velcoro in True Detective season two, reflects on the similarities and differences between both Velcoro and John Sugar.
“They’re both deeply concerned with being able to access and expose the truth,” he says.
“They’re very different in how they present themselves and in their outlook on the world and the human condition.
“Sugar, one of the beautiful things about him, is that he’s an eternal optimist in a way.
“Despite all the violence he’s seen, and all the deceit, greed and treachery, he still has an unshakable belief in the fundamental decency of human beings.
“That’s something I find very difficult to access at times, given what we see in the world around us.
“Velcoro is a bit more of a nihilist. He believes more in the rule of the jungle as the way the world operates. He’s a mess, poor Velcoro, God bless him.”
Sam Catlin, who is the season two showrunner, executive producer and writer, says: “As the new story begins, John Sugar is on his own, with no network of people to lean on. He has to start from scratch and we loved that.
“For the audience it’s very different because we are no longer withholding his secret.”
Catlin says in this series they also wanted to showcase Farrell’s comedic skills.
“We wanted things to be funny and to have characters who wouldn’t subvert the tone or the grounded nature of the show,” he says.
“We were all determined that it should have humorous moments and it shouldn’t feel like a strict detective procedural.”
The first series of was praised for its unusual blend of genres, neo-noir aesthetic, atmospheric mood, and “classic Hollywood” vibe.
“When you’re at the centre of it, when you’re in the middle of it, you don’t really feel the blend of genres,” says Farrell.
“You just feel the consistency, ideally, the consistency of a world you’re creating, co-creating, and inhabiting.
“So the blending of genres is more a concern for the creators and the writers. Once you’re in it, you’re just in it. It’s a single world, hopefully multifaceted, but you’re moving through its singularity, however it shifts.
“I’m not looking at it from an objective perspective at all. But when you hear questions like that, and you see how people receive it, it is genuinely fun to reflect on.
He adds: “He’s just a lovely character to play, I don’t mean that in a dismissive way. It’s simple: the suits are lovely, the cars are lovely, the hotel he lives in is lovely. He’s fundamentally a decent man in a very corrupt world who’s trying to do his best.
“So swimming in those tropes through this character is a really enjoyable way to go to work.”
- season two premieres on Apple TV+ on Friday, June 19.
