This year has been good to Colin Farrell. He started off with a critically-acclaimed role in In Bruges, starring with heavy-hitters Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes. After Heath Ledger’s death, he was one of the four actors who stepped in to cover Ledger’s role in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, directed by Terry Gilliam. And even though his Woody Allen film Cassandra’s Dream was panned (and died a quick death at the box office), Farrell was one of several Irish actors to garner a Golden Globe nomination this year. In Bruges picked up three Golden Globe nominations overall.

Though “In Bruges” was released in February — an eternity away from the fall premieres of most awards-seeking films — the Colin Farrell film emerged as an unlikely contender at the Golden Globes.

“In Bruges” scored three nominations from the Globes, including best picture for a musical or comedy and dueling best actor in a musical or comedy nominations for Farrell and his co-star Brendan Gleeson — a first for each.

Written and directed by playwright Martin McDonagh, the film received good but mixed reviews, and grossed less than $8 million at the U.S. box office. In it, Farrell and Gleeson play hit men laid up in the picturesque and quaint town of Bruges, Belgium.

“It had been brought to my attention by people that it was a possibility, a dark-horse possibility, for getting some recognition, but I really, really didn’t expect it,” Farrell said. “It had been released in the early part of the year, it didn’t do huge money, it wasn’t seen by that many people. But it’s a testament to (McDonough’s) writing in his film debut that it obviously struck a chord with them.”

[From AP Hosted By Google]

After several years of being known as a public hell-raiser and all-around bad boy, Colin Farrell has kept a low-profile. He’s become (from all appearances) an extraordinarily good father to son James, who was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome. Farrell is also in a committed relationship with Emma Forrest, but they are rarely photographed together, despite some mutterings of “bump watches” and the like. So with all of these changes, it’s no surprise that Colin would choose to spend a quiet Christmas at home in Ireland with his family, rather than some gaudy paparazzi-extravaganza at one of the hotspots.

Colin Farrell is shown at LAX on 12/22/08 (credit: Fame) and at Heathrow Airport on 12/23/08. (credit: WENN). This isn’t the first time he’s been seen out with what looks like a wedding ring, and it may just be a ring he always wears on his left ring finger.