Colin Farrell will appear on ‘Claire Byrne Live’ tonight, January 19, to discuss marriage equality ahead of May’s referendum.

Colin Farrell – who has been a long-time advocate for marriage equality – will be interviewed on Claire Byrne’s first show of the series via satellite link from Los Angeles.

The reason for Farrell’s passion about the subject is that his brother Eamon is gay and had to travel to Canada to marry his husband Stephen Mannion.

“To see them every day live their lives as a happily married couple is an amazing thing, and to think that they had to leave their own country to do that, is sad and disappointing and just grossly unfair I feel.”

Farrell has pre-recorded the interview via satellite from California, where he is on a four-month shoot for HBO drama True Detective.

“It’s too easy for heterosexuals to be parents if you want the truth. It’s too easy. There are too many of us who find it too easy to have a kid. Too many parents around the world don’t parent their kids, because it was a five-minute thing, and there it is. We’re talking about Irish society, being the best version in any referendum, divorce, same sex marriage, being the best version of ourselves that we can be.”

Farrell hopes to recruit others for his pro-equality campaign and encourage people to vote Yes in the upcoming referendum.

Tonight’s show will feature Farrell, along with both supporters and detractors of the same-sex marriage bill, including journalist and author Una Mullally and Dr Sharon James who campaigned against same-sex marriage in the UK.

The episode will air tonight, January 19, AT 10.35pm on RTÉ One.