After the pop world discarded him following a failed audition to be in the boy band Boyzone, Colin Farrell found Hollywood far more welcoming of his talents. Having appeared in eight films in the space of two years, including Daredevil, Minority Report and Phone Booth, Farrell is one of the hottest young actors in about. Oliver Stone's Alexander looks likely to cement his place as Tinsel Town's unlikeliest A-lister.

Do you consider Alexander the biggest role of your life?

Yes, and the biggest challenge of my life. I thrive on a challenge. Comfort as an actor is the enemy, as the easy route is so readily available. I hope I never take it.

What appealed to you about playing Alexander?

I like the fact he was a man with vision and nothing was going to come in the way of him achieving that. I don't think that vision was purely based on greed and the want for ownership. He was passionate. We all have to have a passion in life, or else we're f****d. This was a man who in the end nearly ended up drowning in passion, and in what his own passion created.

Historical drama can often be hit and miss. What gave you the impression that this film was going to work?

Oliver's [Stone] script. Some of the things I've worked on, you have to work on the script to make it better - not that I'm saying I'm better than the script - but this one you have to make yourself better. You have to lift your game to match the script. The script itself is phenomenal.

There's been a lot of fuss in the press regarding Alexander's bi-sexual nature. How prominently does it feature in the film?

Not very much to be honest with you. There was no term for it then, it was just part of the culture. What happened was older men, 50 to 70-year-olds, used to spend the evening with younger men and impart their knowledge to them and talk about battles and philosophy and culture, and then they'd go to bed together. It features, it's just part of the story.

You live your life, relatively free and easy, which normally the Hollywood system doesn't really approve of, especially in today's PR controlled times. Yet it doesn't hamper your success...

Obviously the system doesn't dislike me that much. Maybe it needs me to write about. I don't understand any it. I just go to work and I live my life. I work hard, I realise how fortunate I am, and I get on with it. People are going to write what they're going to write. There's nothing you can do.

Alexander is released in UK cinemas on Friday 7th January 2005.