Emily In Paris Star Lily Collins' Jaw-Dropping Transformation

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Lily Collins may be the offspring of a world-famous musician who's grown up to become a hugely popular actor — but she's no nepo baby. The "Emily in Paris" star and daughter of Phil Collins told the Daily Mail she made a point of never using her dad's fame for her own gain, lamenting, "My dad never made a call on my behalf to anyone — not to a producer, a director or a casting agent. I didn't want to land an audition because I was 'The daughter of...' I never wanted to give anyone the opportunity to say, 'You only got the role because of who you are.'" And Collins' admirable desire to let her talent speak for itself only makes her meteoric rise to an in-demand actor even more impressive.

Yet, even she isn't totally sure how she became an A-list star with lead roles in major TV shows and movies with multiple Golden Globe nominations to her name. "I look at what I've done and I go: 'What? Really?'" she told The Guardian in 2012. "It still feels so abnormal not to have had to do those particular sorts of projects [teen flicks] to get here," she added. But Collins' jaw-dropping transformation from a young girl with transatlantic connections to a proud wife and mother gives us an insight into the career moves and personal milestones that made her one of the most sought-after and beloved actors in the industry.

Lily Collins was born in England in 1989 and got an early taste of fame thanks to her famous father, British musician Phil Collins. She revealed on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" she'd often find herself rubbing shoulders with celebrities as a little girl but nonchalantly said of her dad's famous friends, "They're people." She also opened up to the Daily Mail about how growing up around familiar faces gave her invaluable insight into fame. "When I was younger I saw that this business came with pros and cons," she said. "... What I learned from my family is that if this is truly what you love to do, everything has a cost," she added. That down-to-earth attitude and sensible head on her shoulders would serve her well.

It didn't take Collins long to land her first acting role. She began starring in the BBC series "Growing Pains" in 1992, when she was just 2 years old. "I wasn't thrown into it or anything. I think it was through some connections with my grandmother or something like that," she explained to The Guardian. But the small role on the British series, which wrapped in 1993, was far from Collins' big break. 

She'd later tell Harper's Bazaar U.K. that, unlike many actors, she didn't enjoy the spotlight as a child. "I never liked being the focal point of attention. Growing up, I liked being in the background," she said, revealing she had young dreams of becoming a fashion designer. Though she would take on some modeling work as a youngster and would go on to be considered a major fashionista, it would be years before she'd return to the small screen and truly develop her passion for acting.

Around 1995, when Lily Collins was 6, her life totally changed. Her parents divorced, and she moved to Los Angeles with her American mother, Jill Tavelman. Tavelman told People her daughter's relationship with her ex-husband had become strained, and accused the musician of keeping his distance post-move. "She keeps weeping, 'I want my daddy.' Phil sends her faxes, but I know she'd rather hear his voice. Phil doesn't phone because he has to save his voice for the next day," Tavelman claimed.

Collins addressed the complex relationship she had with her father as a young girl in her memoir, "Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me," sharing (via People), "Because my dad was often gone, I never wanted to do anything that would make him stay away even longer." She claimed she'd forgiven him for any past mistakes, but noted, "I became extra careful about what I said and how I said it, afraid he'd think I was angry or didn't love him. And the truth is, I was angry. I missed him and wanted him there."

Collins wasn't only struggling with her relationship with her father. She told W she also found it difficult to adapt to her new surroundings. In an attempt to fit in, she adopted an American accent (though she'd later tell the Daily Mail, "I consider myself more British than American. When I land in the U.K., I feel more relaxed, as if I'm home.") She also attempted to dial down her signature bushy brows, telling Teen Vogue she "hacked away" at them. "I think we all want to fit in at a young age," she said.

By 2005, Lily Collins appeared to have a better relationship with her dad, but life still wasn't perfect. When Collins was about 16, her dad announced his split from his then-wife, Orianne Cevey (they finalized their divorce in 2008). "I couldn't handle the pain and confusion surrounding my dad's divorce, and I was having a hard time balancing being a teenager with pursuing two different grown-up careers ... which also focused heavily on how I looked," she wrote in "Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me," referring to her early acting and modeling work (via People). Amid the upheaval, Collins developed an eating disorder. "Between the starvation, the diet pills, the laxatives, and throwing up, I not only lost all of my energy, but my body started to shut down," she wrote.

Collins later spoke to Teen Vogue about her recovery, sharing that she didn't seek professional treatment but opened up to friends and family to move toward a healthier path. "Now, it's just something that's a part of my past that I keep in check," she said. "... It doesn't affect my day-to-day in that I don't partake in the disorder. It's a part of who I am, but it's always something that I look back on and think about in terms of my progress."

Amid her personal struggles, the then-future star's passion for acting began to develop. Collins told Backstage she decided to make acting her career at 16, so she started attending auditions around her adopted hometown of Los Angeles. But, following repeated rejections, she put her dreams on hold. "I waited until I was at an age where I felt I was strong enough to continue to be told no," she recalled.

With Lily Collins' acting ambitions still on hold, the teen began attending the University of Southern California around 2007 for broadcast journalism and communications. "I was always super intrigued about asking questions and seeing human nature and human response and knew it would better inform me as an actor," she told the Independent. She also took on major journalism gigs — including writing for Seventeen and covering the 2008 presidential election for Nickelodeon — and grew her celebrity status by attending high-profile events like Teen Vogue's Young Hollywood Party.

Collins dropped out of USC as a sophomore, realizing she was ready to focus on her acting career again. "I really felt strongly about it," she told Backstage. Her previous rejections turned into successes, and she appeared in two episodes of The CW's "90210." That was closely followed by a role in the movie "The Blind Side." "My first film, I was mothered by Sandra Bullock, and she really took me under her wing during that experience and showed me the ropes," Collins told Sky News. "... It made such an impact on me as my first experience to have this amazing, strong, kind female lead the way," she added. The rising star returned to the big screen in 2011's "Priest" alongside Paul Bettany and in "Abduction" with Taylor Lautner.

The following year, she landed one of her biggest roles to date when she played Snow White in "Mirror, Mirror." She acted alongside Julia Roberts, and the blockbuster only bolstered her increasingly impressive résumé. The team was so convinced Collins was right for the movie that she found out the day after her audition that she'd got the role (via Momtastic).

Lily Collins was a fully fledged, in-demand actor by 2013. She appeared in several other major projects, including "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones" and "Love, Rosie," and found herself nominated for equally big awards. Among them, Choice Movie Actress: Action at the 2014 Teen Choice Movie Awards. 

Though her acting career was a little quieter between 2014 and 2015, she returned to the big screen with a vengeance in 2016 with "Rules Don't Apply," which brought her even more serious accolades. She was honored with the New Hollywood award at the 2016 Hollywood Film Awards and was nominated for her first Golden Globe Awards (in the Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical category). "I still can't breathe. Beyond honored, thankful, and proud. This can't be real!" she wrote on Instagram of the nomination. Aside from the accolades, the role also marked the first time she sang on the big screen. "I always wanted to experiment and sing in a film," she told the Golden Globes. "I knew I didn't have to be perfect at this and if my voice cracks as Marla, that is fine because Marla is a songwriter, not a singer," she added.

Lily Collins released "Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me" in 2017, in which she got candid about being in an abusive relationship. She didn't name the partner or specify when the relationship happened, but recalled (via People), "I was the definition of co-dependent. And worst of all: I became so scared that if I left him, I would have nothing. Be nothing." She also wrote about an argument they once had that turned physically abusive. "His hand reached out and closed around my neck. Part of me feels strange even calling it choking because I can't imagine this person doing such a thing, yet it still felt extremely threatening," she candidly wrote, sharing the terrifying incident made her realize it was time to end the relationship.

Collins also spoke openly and bravely to Teen Vogue about why she felt it was so important to share her story. "Writing that chapter, it was really important for me to explain my state of mind at the time," she said. "When you are so in something, you can't really see outside of it, and you forget the gravity of the situation," the "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" actor added.

Following Lily Collins' difficult time with love, she found herself in what appeared to be a much happier, healthier relationship in 2019. Collins first sparked romance rumors with director and screenwriter Charlie McDowell, the son of Mary Steenburgen and Malcolm McDowell, that year after they were spotted spending time together in Los Angeles. Love appeared to blossom fairly quickly for these two, as he popped the question in 2020. 

Despite Collins shying away from discussing her past relationships publicly, she gushed to British Vogue, "I knew from the moment we got together that I wanted to be with him." She also recalled the moment McDowell proposed, "It was so beautiful and now I get to be a fiancée and get into the planning of it all. I'm really excited."

The happy couple tied the knot in 2021 in a romantic Colorado ceremony. She shared an Instagram photo of herself and McDowell kissing under an arch on their special day. "I've never wanted to be someone's someone more than I do yours, and now I get to be your wife. On September 4th, 2021, we officially became each other's forever. I love you beyond @charliemcdowell...," she captioned the romantic upload. Collins stunned in a long-sleeve wedding dress that was somewhat outside the box due to its high neck, all-over lace, and matching hooded veil.

Amid Lily Collins' blossoming romance with Charlie McDowell, she landed what would become one of her signature roles. In 2019, Collins signed on to play the title character, Emily Cooper, in the romantic drama TV series "Emily in Paris," which filmed in the French capital. "All of Darren [Star]'s shows have deeply defined, greatly impacted, and undeniably helped me navigate my journey into womanhood ... What an absolute dream project!" she said in a statement (via Deadline). "Emily in Paris" debuted the following year after moving from Paramount to Netflix. And the response was huge. Variety reported 58 million households watched the first season in the month after it debuted, and the show was renewed for a second season just five months later.

Collins opened up to British Vogue about why she felt "Emily In Paris" was such an instant hit, sharing that the show debuting amid the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic may have played a part in its success. "We all want to travel. We all want escapism. Being an American in Paris is not a revolutionary idea, but right now it's impossible," she said. "... The show has a sense of humor, a silliness and a brightness to it, and I think it hit at a time when we all needed it the most. We all want to laugh and smile."

Also in 2020, Collins turned 30. She shared a poignant message about celebrating the milestone amid the pandemic on Instagram, writing, "This year showed me what the next phase of my life should be about. It's not about being perfect and despite the circumstance we can always pick ourselves up when we fall."

Big things came Lily Collins' way thanks to "Emily in Paris," which saw this celeb take fashion cues from Aubrey Hepburn. During the first season, in addition to playing the lead role, she also served as a producer. "I just love all facets of storytelling, so producing was a no-brainer ... I think it was something that I was always going to do," she told Backstage. Collins had plans to take on more projects on the other side of the camera, too. "I would love to direct one day ... There's no part of this industry that I don't find fascinating," she said. "Emily in Paris" also delivered Collins her second Golden Globe nomination. She received a nod for Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy at the 2021 ceremony, while the show was also nominated for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy.

Collins also began working with someone very special, as Charlie McDowell directed her in the movie "Windfall," which dropped in 2022. "I thought it would be harder ... I thought it would be more stressful to have to work with him, but it honestly was really amazing and freeing," she told Vogue Australia. "It was great, and I'm really, really proud of the movie and I'm proud of him. It's a different type of role for me," she added. 

The couple worked so well together that the same year "Windfall" was released, they decided to team up again. Deadline reported Collins had signed on to co-produce the Hulu limited series "Razzlekhan: The Infamous Crocodile of Wall Street," with the "Emily in Paris" star's real-life partner directing the project.

Lily Collins took on one of her most important roles ever in early 2025 — being a mother. She confirmed on Instagram that she and Charlie McDowell had welcomed their first child. "Welcome to the center of our world Tove Jane McDowell. Words will never express our endless gratitude for our incredible surrogate and everyone who helped us along the way," she captioned a photo of their baby girl. Collins threw herself into motherhood and shared an adorable Instagram video showing her singing Genesis' (her dad Phil Collins' former band) song "I Can't Dance" to Tove.

Motherhood didn't slow the star down. In fact, she was busier than ever. Also in 2025, Collins teamed up with Cartier to put her own spin on one of the brand's most famous bags and continued working on "Emily in Paris." The actor bolstered her résumé once again with a role in the movie "Close Personal Friends" alongside Meghan Markle, while Netflix confirmed in early 2026 that "Emily in Paris" would return for Season 6. But she spoke candidly about the career implications of motherhood. "You have a different purpose and it's really tough... It's a struggle and I'm just so grateful to be able to do both," she told The Sun.

Collins knew she was still transforming as she entered the final few years of her 30s. She spoke to Harper's Bazaar U.K. about how her idea of success had evolved, explaining, "It's also about celebrating the smaller wins along the way. To have a beautiful family while balancing my work life is a success and I'm dedicated to that. Success is an ongoing process for me, and my definition of it evolves as I do."