Lily Collins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lily Collins
Collins in 2019
Born	Lily Jane Collins (1989-03-18) 18 March 1989 (age 36) Guildford, Surrey, England
Citizenship	United Kingdom United States
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1991–present
Works	Full list
Spouse(s)	Charlie McDowell ​ (m. 2021)​
Children	1
Parent(s)	Phil Collins (father)
Relatives	Simon Collins (half-brother) Joely Collins (half-sister) Nic Collins (half-brother) Clive Collins (uncle) Malcolm McDowell (father-in-law) Mary Steenburgen (mother-in-law) Ted Danson (stepfather-in law)
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Lily Jane Collins (born March 18, 1989) is an English and American actress. She was born in England but grew up in Los Angeles, California. She started acting when she was only two years old in the BBC show Growing Pains.

As a young adult, Collins became well-known for her role in the sports movie The Blind Side (2009). She then starred in many other films. These include the fantasy movie Mirror Mirror (2012), where she played Snow White, and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013).

Collins received praise for her acting in the romantic comedy Rules Don't Apply (2016). This role earned her a nomination for a Golden Globe Award. She also starred in the drama To the Bone (2017), where she played a young woman dealing with an eating disorder.

She played the character Fantine in the BBC television series Les Misérables (2018–2019). Since 2020, she has starred as Emily Cooper in the popular Netflix series Emily in Paris. For this role, she was nominated for another Golden Globe Award. She also wrote a book called Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me, where she talks about her personal experiences.

Early Life and Education

Lily Jane Collins was born on March 18, 1989. Her father is the famous English musician Phil Collins. Her mother is Jill Tavelman, an American who was the president of the Beverly Hills Women's Club.

When Collins was six, her parents divorced. She moved to Los Angeles with her mother. She went to Harvard-Westlake School and later studied broadcast journalism at the University of Southern California.

As a teenager, Collins went through a difficult time with an eating disorder. She wrote about this experience in her book to help others who might be going through similar challenges.

Acting Career

2007–2012: First Roles and Breakthrough

Collins at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival

Collins began acting at age two. As a teenager, she appeared in two episodes of the TV show 90210. Her big break came in 2009 with the movie The Blind Side. She played the daughter of Sandra Bullock's character. The movie was a huge success.

In 2011, she starred in the action movie Abduction with Taylor Lautner. The next year, she played Snow White in Mirror Mirror. A critic from the newspaper The Daily Telegraph said she had an "almost perfect face for cinema." Collins also sang a song for the movie, called "I Believe (in Love)".

2013–2016: Gaining Fame

Collins at the 2013 WonderCon

In 2013, Collins starred as Clary Fray in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. This movie was based on a popular book series by Cassandra Clare. For this role, she was nominated for a Teen Choice Award.

She also starred in the 2014 movie Love, Rosie. In 2016, she played an aspiring actress in the comedy-drama Rules Don't Apply. For her performance, she was nominated for her first Golden Globe Award for Best Actress.

Also in 2016, Collins took on a challenging role in the movie To the Bone. She played a 20-year-old woman with anorexia. The film was shown at the Sundance Film Festival and later released on Netflix. Critics said Collins did "exemplary work" in the role.

2017–Present: A Star on Screen

Collins and ...Vile co-star Zac Efron in 2019

Collins starred in the Netflix movie Okja in 2017. The film was directed by Bong Joon-ho, who also directed Parasite. From 2018 to 2019, she played Fantine in a BBC version of Les Misérables. Critics loved her performance, saying she played the tragic character with "steeliness and grace."

In 2019, Collins acted alongside Zac Efron in the movie ...Vile. She played the girlfriend of Ted Bundy, a man who committed terrible crimes. That same year, she played Edith Tolkien, the wife of author J. R. R. Tolkien, in the movie Tolkien.

In 2020, Collins began starring in the Netflix series Emily in Paris. She plays a young American who moves to Paris for her job. The show became very popular, and Collins received another Golden Globe nomination for her role. In the same year, she appeared in the highly praised film Mank.

In 2021, it was announced that Collins would play the popular children's toy Polly Pocket in a new movie.

Helping Others

Collins speaks out against bullying. She is a Celebrity Ambassador for an anti-bullying group called Bystander Revolution. Since 2018, she has also been an ambassador for the GO Campaign. This organization helps improve the lives of orphans and children in need around the world.

Personal Life

In September 2020, Collins announced she was engaged to American film director Charlie McDowell. They got married on September 4, 2021, in Colorado.

In 2025, Collins announced on Instagram that she and her husband had their first child, who was born through surrogacy. The couple owns homes in Pasadena, California, and in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Lily Collins para niños