Colin Farrell: 'I Was Dying'

Colin Farrell (Wireimage)

Colin Farrell has admitted that his drink and drug problems became so severe that he was close to death.

The gorgeous Irishman talked openly on the BBC about the painful period before he went into rehab for six weeks in 2005.

Colin, who said he'd been "drunk or high since I was 14", told talk show host Jonathan Ross: "I was fairly drunk for 16 years and [sobering up] was a tough life-change, but I was dying.

"And I'm one of the lucky ones, because -- so far -- I've got out of it."

The Miami Vice star said that he just about managed not to let his wild lifestyle ruin his work, but, said it might have been better if he'd been clean and dry.

"When I think of the work I did, I was struggling so hard just to keep my s**t together," he admitted.

"A lot of my energy was going into not having a complete meltdown."

But it hasn't all been a waste. Colin says that he's picked up some valuable wisdom from his bad decisions -- like the leaked-sex tape that he went to court to get pulled from websites in 2005.

He told the show that when the man in charge of the deposition in L.A. said he hoped Colin had "learned your lesson," he confidently replied: "Yes, next time I'll take the tape with me."