A marathon can turn a celebrity from any field into an average Joe. But that same 26.2-mile grind can also open new doors. The Chicago Marathon 2024 had something special in store for a Vampire Diaries star, who used her run to raise awareness about mental health and the rising tide of teenage suicides in America. Just two weeks later, another Hollywood icon took on a marathon of his own—but with a very different message.

As a silver screen star, Colin Farrell has the fame to break boundaries and wave the flag of hope wherever he goes. During the Dublin Marathon, the 48-year-old actor was focused on just that. But this time, he wasn’t battling for a trophy; he was fighting against a faceless foe—Epidermolysis bullosa (EB). This rare genetic skin disease has had a profound impact on his friend, Emma Fogarty, who happens to be Ireland’s longest-surviving individual with EB. Emma’s life has become a symbol of bravery in the face of adversity, and as a loyal friend, Farrell couldn’t just sit idly by.

That drive led him to participate in the Dublin Marathon alongside Emma. The plan was simple: Farrell would push Emma in her wheelchair during the final leg of the race. But here’s the heartwarming twist—this wasn’t just any race day. It was Emma’s 40th birthday! Each kilometer of the last leg symbolized a decade of her life, celebrating her journey. And they also aimed to raise funds for charity, which they successfully did, pulling in around $690,000. But on race day, they weren’t alone. Four tall individuals joined Farrell and Emma. Can you guess why?

On October 28, four individuals joined Colin Farrell on his run for Team Emma. According to the Irish Star, they were “Detective Gardai Ian Redican, Barry Duggan, Ernie Frazer, and Detective Sergeant Tom Power.” Interestingly, Farrell hadn’t requested any security for the event—after all, he was racing right in his own backyard, through the familiar Irish streets. But these four ran the marathon alongside him and Emma, offering protection as they went. And the best part? They did it all voluntarily, simply showing up to support the star and his friend.

That was commendable! But the main part came later. In the post-race interaction, one of those four men, Ian Redican, laid out, “I’d say like the rest of us, he [Colin Farell] was hurting on Monday.” Yet, Farell did not give up the race midway. As per Redican, that act was unbelievable. 

In the post-race conversation, the experienced officer went into detail about the time he and his team had spent with the two-time Golden Globe winner on the price-less occasion. He particularly mentioned the down-to-earth nature of Farell that amazed him and his squad. According to him, the Castleknock born was “overawed with everything because he didn’t know what to expect.” But had that been a loose factor for him? No. In contrast, the officer claimed that Colin had taken their advice throughout the race and, in the end, posed successfully, fulfilling his target. But what about the experience of the man of the hour? 

Colin Farell reminisces about his unique experience in the marathon ground 

On the screens, Colin Farell is experienced to storm in, creating tremors in the opponent camp. But on Monday, he didn’t have any opponent in the crowd of 20,000 fellow runners. Rather, he had one, nestled behind the screen, the disease. And being the protagonist of the story, he couldn’t let it go unattacked. This powerful urge led Farell to match his feet with the runners and be an average Joe, for once at least. But did the tiring journey overwhelm him? Remember, Ian Redican said Colin’s request to “go easy on him” during the race. Why? Colin Farell is not a seasoned runner. So, such a race is bound to take a toll on him. 

However, Colin said something different. Terming his experience as “extraordinary”, he clapped at the stakeholders for creating an admiring atmosphere in Dublin on Monday. “As soon as you turn a corner, there’s hundreds or a couple of thousand people there. The support out there was incredible because it gave you a little bump, and you would actually, all the guards were saying as well, you go a little bit faster than you should be going,” he revealed in one of his interviews after the race. He also narrated the goal he had in mind in the race. Overall, it was a memorable experience for the star. His fans may have wanted to see a similar kind of affair from him.