Colin Farrellhas been one of the most established and well-regarded actors for over two decades. While he has the looks of a traditional leading man, the actor has thrived with his character work, willing to even pull back on his looks to embody different characters. 2022 was an incredible year for Farrell, as the actor has starred in three high-profile releases from popular directors: Matt Reeves’The Batman, Ron Howard’sThirteen Lives, and Martin McDonagh’sThe Banshees of Inisherin. Additionally, he headlined the critical darlingAfter Yangas a father attempting to repair his family’s android in the distant future.
With The Academy Awards around the corner, Farrell’s work inThe Banshees of Inisherinhasgenerated a great deal of awards buzz, and he could possibly be nominated and win the Best Actor Oscar. Farrell could be entering a new exciting phase of his career; he mastered television in 2021 with the five-hour epicThe North Water, and is set to return to streaming series with a Penguin spin-off. From cerebral sci-fi and big-budget superhero media, to mainstream drama and twisted comedy, the whole year was an incredible showcase for the actor and might be his best year overall, and this is why he was the best actor of 2022.
The Batman
Farrell started the year off with a bang, playing the role of Oz Cobblepot aka The Penguin inThe Batman, the latest reimagining of the Caped Crusader. Farrell is unrecognizable in the role, with impressive makeup work from designer Naomi Donne. The Penguin is one ofBatman’s most iconic enemies, and the depictions of the character by previous actors like Burgess Meredith and Danny DeVito loomed large over Farrell’s.
However, Farrell’s depiction of the character is slightly different, emphasizing his role as a gangster and painting an interesting origin for the villain. His origins as an employee for a typical Gotham gangster, and seeing the seeds planted for his eventual rise to Gotham’s new crime boss and one that will fit a new world filled with supervillains.
Related:Why is The Penguin a Villain in the Batman Universe?
Farrell’s depiction of The Penguin is both a potentially menacing character but also providesThe Batmanwith a much-needed sense of comedic levity, showcasing the actor’s often underutilized comedic talents. His performance was almost instantly iconic, as his “what are you showing me” line delivery became an online viral meme. When it was first announced HBO Max was developinga television series based on The Penguin,many were scratching their heads, but after seeing what Farrell brought to the role it is now one of the most exciting DC projects on the horizon.
After Yang
Farrell is beautifully understated in Kogonada’s emotional sci-fi filmAfter Yang. Despite being set in a distant future with complicated technological advancements like clones, ‘techno sapiens,’ and actually safe self-driving cars,After Yangmanages to be one of the most warmly human and compassionate films of 2022. Farrell stars as the slightly depressed father of a family whose android is essentially one of the family. After the techno sapien malfunctions and stops working, Farrell embarks on a quest to repair it for his daughter in a performance that exudes subtle emotion and bittersweet melancholy.
Thirteen Lives
Thirteen Liveswas released on Prime Video on June 16, 2025, and told the story of the Tham Luang cave rescue in 2018. Farrell plays John Volanthen, one of the real-life cave divers. What is most impressive about the role is that Farrell steps into a supporting part where he never draws too much attention to himself, truly allowing the film to bean ensemble piecewith him and his fellow actors. The most eye-catching thing about Farrell’s role is just how normal he looks; he doesn’t look like the traditional handsome Hollywood leading man he was defined as for so much of his career, but instead looks just like an average individual.
Filmmaker Ron Howardhas always loved crafting movies based on real-life events, fromFar and AwaytoApollo 13andFrost/Nixon.Thirteen Livessits comfortably among those films as one of the director’s best works, and part of that is due to Farrell’s performance which holds up compared to previous actors Howard has had play real people, from Russell Crowe to Tom Hanks.
The Banshees of Inisherin
The last film of Farrell’s in 2022 is also the most gathering awards buzz,The Banshees of Inisherin. The movie reunites Farrell with hisIn Brugesdirector and co-star Martin McDonagh and Brendan Gleeson, respectively. The film centers on two lifelong friends who find themselves at odds when Colm (Gleeson) cuts Pádraic (Farrell) out of his life completely.The Banshees of Inisherinis Farrell at his most utterly vulnerable. Much of the movie hangs on his character being “dull” and a little too simple, but he’s also a very nice person. To indicate how happy he is with his simple life, his first shot sees him walking along with a smile and a literal rainbow over his shoulder.
Related:How Banshees of Inisherin Explores Melancholy With an Oscar Worthy Colin Farrell
Much of Farrell’s career has been defined by playing cool characters, with a certain level of sex appeal. Hollywood has tried to cash in on his looks, and his previous off-screen bad-boy star image. Yet here, Farrell plays the exact opposite of cool; he is needy, sad, and at times feels like an overgrown wounded child. In a movie that is, for all intents and purposes, a break-up movie, Farrell plays the part with such a level of emotional heartbreak that anyone can relate to the circumstance. He pushes himself as an actor in this role, and it might be the best of his career.
2022 Was the Year Farrell Took Major Chances
Farrell’s performances across 2022 were all unique, ranging from villains and heroes to real-life people and iconic pop culture figures. None of the performances are quite like the other and shows just how versatile an actor Farrell can be. One common element that all of Farrell’s roles in 2022 had in common was the former heartthrob pushing away from his looks. The actor pushed himself into new opportunities with some of the best filmmakers working today and truly 2022 was his year. The future certainly looks bright for Colin Farrell.
