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BACK IN 2003, Colin Farrell was one of the biggest up-and-coming actors in the world, having landed roles in Tigerland, The Recruit,  Phone Booth, The Daredevil, and S.W.A.T.

The Dublin native wooed America with his wild antics and Irish charm. He was the bad boy du jour. The guy who’d flirt with you before bumming your last cigarette.

So it was only a matter of time before he managed to get with the biggest pop star in the world, Britney Spears.

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Let’s take a look back, shall we?

In February 2003, Britney Spears and Colin Farrell shocked the world by attending the premiere of The Recruit together.

They walked the red carpet hand in hand and were spotted engaging in serious PDA.

Per People Magazine:

Confirming in their actions — and his words — that they are something of a pair, Gaelic good-time guy Colin Farrell and semi-retired pop princess Britney Spears were hand in hand for photogs at Tuesday’s Hollywood premiere of “The Recruit,” in which he stars with Al Pacino. “She’s just a mate,” Farrell, 26, who costarred with Tom Cruise in last summer’s “Minority Report,” told TV’s “Entertainment Tonight.” “Seriously, we just met a week ago, (we’re) having a laugh.”

Meanwhile, Britney called him “an amazing person”.

Can we please take a moment to pause and reflect on the phrase “Gaelic good-time guy”?

There they are now. The happy couple.

The pair reportedly met when Spears visited the set of S.W.A.T (what a 2003 statement) and continued scoring into the wee hours.

Per a USA Today piece headlined, “Holy hormones! Pop princess Britney Spears and Gaelic gigolo Colin Farrell are Hollywood’s hottest new item”

After the screening, Spears, wearing what could best be described as a camisole, hooked up again with Farrell at Chateau Marmont, where they snuggled and kissed into the wee hours. It wasn’t their first date. On Saturday, the lip-locked lovers were seen at L.A.’s Troubadour nightclub, the New York Post reports. They met last week when Spears visited the set of Farrell’s movie S.W.A.T.

Shifting in the Chateau Marmont.

Colin, you dog.

Despite their public displays of affection, both were incredibly coy about their relationship.

Britney’s rep was adamant they were just friends, while Farrell was forced to brush off claims it was a publicity stunt.

When asked it was it planned, he responded, “Not really, because I’m such a f**kin’ idiot, I don’t think of the next step. I mean people will go, ‘Yeah, you little liar. You f**kin’ planned that,’ and I f**kin’ didn’t.”

Here’s his version of events:

I was sitting in a hotel lobby with twenty of my family and friends and her and a few of her friends, and we’re all having drinks and then there’s five stretch limos outside and we pack into them and everything’s dandy. She’s over in the corner with her friends and talking to my mother or whatever and everything’s fine.

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SHE WAS TALKING TO HIS MAM.

And then we go there and as soon as I stepped out of the limo I thought, Of course!” But I hadn’t given it a second f**kin’ thought. But as soon as I stepped out I thought, “Oh yeah, OK,’ and then I went, “s**t,” and I said to her, “We’re asking for f**king trouble here,’ and she said, “I know.”

Iconic.

Things quickly fizzled out and Spears later told W Magazine that the pair hadn’t done anything beyond kiss each other and maintained that Justin Timberlake was her one and only.

As for her rumored fling with Irish actor Colin Farrell: “Yes, I kissed him. … He’s the cutest, hottest thing in the world — wooh! … But it was nothing serious.”

Later that year, reports surfaced that Britney was none too impressed when Colin Farrell sent her some questionable gag gifts.

Britney Spears is furious after cheeky Colin Farrell sent her a T-shirt saying: “I slept with Colin Farrell and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.” The Hollywood bad boy also sent her a saucy car sticker, which read: “Honk if you’ve slept with Colin Farrell.”

Farrell’s gifts were his response to 22-year-old pop queen Britney denying they’d enjoyed an intimate evening together earlier this year. A close pal of Colin said: “He thought it would be a great gag to send her the gifts.

In conclusion? They scored once, but were so indiscreet about it, the whole entire world found out about it.

Greatest couple of the noughties, tbh.

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