Lily Collins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lily Collins
Collins in 2024
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)​
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)
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Lily Jane Collins (born 18 March 1989) is a talented English-American actress. She was born in Guildford, England, and grew up in Los Angeles, USA. Lily started acting very young, appearing on screen at just two years old in a TV show called Growing Pains.

As she got older, Lily began acting and modeling more often. She became well-known for her role in the sports drama film The Blind Side (2009). She has starred in many different types of movies, including the fantasy films Mirror Mirror (2012) and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013).

Lily Collins has received praise for her acting in films like the romantic comedy Rules Don't Apply (2016), which earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination. She also starred in To the Bone (2017), where she played a young adult dealing with an eating disorder. Since 2020, she has been famous for her role as Emily Cooper in the Netflix series Emily in Paris. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy for this role. Lily has also written a book, Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me (2017), where she talks about her experiences with mental health and body image.

Early Life and Education

Lily Jane Collins was born on 18 March 1989 in Guildford, Surrey, England. Her father is the famous English musician Phil Collins, and her mother is Jill Tavelman, an American. When Lily was six years old, her parents divorced, and she moved to Los Angeles with her mother.

Lily went to Harvard-Westlake School and later studied broadcast journalism at the University of Southern California. As a teenager, Lily faced challenges with an eating disorder. She later shared her story in her book, Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me. In 2007, she was presented as a debutante at the Bal des débutantes in Paris.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting Out in Acting: 2007–2012

Lily Collins at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival

Lily Collins started acting at the age of two in the BBC TV series Growing Pains. In 2009, she appeared in two episodes of the teen drama 90210. Later that year, she had a big role in the film The Blind Side. She played Collins Tuohy, the daughter of the main character, Leigh Anne Tuohy, played by Sandra Bullock. This movie was a huge success, earning over $250 million.

In 2011, Lily played Lucy in the thriller Priest. Even though the movie didn't do well, her acting was praised. She was named one of the "Breakout Stars to Watch for in 2011" by NextMovie.com. She also starred in the action film Abduction with Taylor Lautner.

In 2012, Lily played Snow White in the movie Mirror Mirror. Julia Roberts played the Evil Queen in this film. A critic from The Daily Telegraph said Lily had "an adorable, sensational, almost perfect face for cinema." Lily also sang for the first time in this movie, performing "I Believe (in Love)". That same year, she was in Stuck in Love with Jennifer Connelly and Logan Lerman.

Becoming Well-Known: 2013–2016

Lily Collins at WonderCon in 2013

In 2013, Lily starred as Clary Fray in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. This movie was based on the popular The Mortal Instruments book series. Her role earned her a Teen Choice Award nomination in 2014. She also appeared in music videos for M83 and Thirty Seconds to Mars.

In 2014, Lily played Rosie Dunne in Love, Rosie, a film based on a book by Cecelia Ahern. Her performance was described as "perfectly charming."

Lily had a main role in the romantic comedy-drama Rules Don't Apply (2016). She played Marla Mabrey, an aspiring actress. For this role, Lily received her first Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical. In 2016, Lily also worked on a TV pilot called The Last Tycoon, based on a book by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

In March 2016, Lily joined the cast of To the Bone. She played Ellen, a 20-year-old woman with an eating disorder. The film was shown at the Sundance Film Festival and later released on Netflix. Critics praised Lily's acting, calling her performance "exemplary" and "subtler."

Established Actress: 2017–Present

Lily Collins and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile co-star Zac Efron in 2019

In 2017, Lily was in the Netflix drama film Okja, directed by Bong Joon-ho. The film was shown at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. Later that year, Lily was cast as Fantine in the BBC mini-series Les Misérables. Critics highly praised her "magnificent" and "emotionally rich" performance as Fantine.

In 2019, Lily co-starred with Zac Efron in the drama Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. She also played Edith Tolkien, the wife of author J. R. R. Tolkien, in the biographical film Tolkien.

In 2020, Lily starred in the thriller Inheritance. She also began her role as Emily Cooper in the popular Netflix series Emily in Paris. For this show, she received another Golden Globe Award nomination. That same year, she played Rita Alexander in the film Mank. Lily is also set to star in upcoming films like The Cradle and Gilded Rage. In 2021, it was announced that Lily would produce and star in a film about the children's toy Polly Pocket.

Activism and Causes

Lily Collins is a strong supporter of anti-bullying efforts. She is a Celebrity Ambassador for Bystander Revolution, an organization that works to stop bullying. Since 2018, she has also been an ambassador for the GO Campaign. This non-profit organization helps raise money and awareness to improve the lives of children around the world who are orphans or in need.

Personal Life

Lily Collins married American film director and writer Charlie McDowell on 4 September 2021. They announced their engagement in September 2020. Lily has mentioned that she prefers to keep her relationships private.

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Lily Collins para niños