Lily Collins has just landed the role of Audrey Hepburn in a new movie, but how much do you know about the rising star of Hollywood?
Lily Collins might be best known as the titular character in the hit Netflix show Emily in Paris, but she is also making waves in the movie world and has just landed the role of screen icon Audrey Hepburn in a new movie.
As reported by Deadline, Lily will play Audrey in a film about the making of iconic 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The movie, in which Audrey played Holly Golightly, cemented her as a global fashion and cultural icon. But the movie will explain how the movie was made, and its impact on popular culture of the time.
But how much do you know about Lily Collins? Here are some fun facts you might not know.
Lily has a famous father
Lily was born into the entertainment industry as her father is legendary Genesis drummer and singer Phil Collins, who had a string of hit singles and albums throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s either with Genesis or solo. Phil also dabbled in acting, starring in the movie Buster in the 1980s, as well as on stage as the Artful Dodger in the musical Oliver in the 1960s, so some of that talent evidently passed through to Lily.
Phil Collins’ song ‘You’ll Be In My Heart’ which was used in the 1999 animation Tarzan – and won an Oscar – was written for Lily.
Lily made her acting debut when a toddler
Lily made her TV debut at the tender age of two when she appeared in the BBC sitcom Growing Pains – this was a UK sitcom and not the famous US one of the same name from the 80s – from 1992 to 93. She played the role of a foster child who joins the main family in the show.
However, that was it for acting for a while afterwards. In 1996, she moved to America with her mother after her parents divorced.
Her big break came in a sports film
Lily came back to acting in the late 2000s – including auditioning unsuccessfully for Twilight – and her break came in the 2009 sports-focused movie Blind Side, where she played Sandra Bullock’s daughter.
Lily has a long-standing interest in journalism
While Lily has been a hugely successful actress for more than a decade now, if that hadn’t worked out, it is possible that she could have been a journalist instead.
After leaving school, Lily attended the University of Southern California, where she majored in broadcast journalism.
Also, while she was a teenager, Lily wrote a regular column for British teen magazine Elle Girl, called ‘NY Confidential’, all about growing up in New York. Over the years, she has also written for Seventeen, Teen Vogue and the Los Angeles Times.
In addition, during the 2008 US presidential election, Lily was a host on the Nickelodeon show Kids Pick the President.
She is an anti-bullying activist
Lily has used her fame to stand up for causes close to her heart in recent years. One of the most prominent is her anti bullying stance, and she is a celebrity ambassador for anti-bullying organisation Bystander Revolution – first taking up a role with them in 2014.
Lily is married and has a daughter
Lily generally keeps her private life just that – private. The difficulties caused by media coverage of her parents’ divorce when she was a girl inform her reluctance to talk about her relationships.
However, she is married to Charlie McDowell, a film director and writer – and son of actor Malcolm McDowell. The pair tied the knot in 2021. In 2025, Lily announced on Instagram the arrival of their first child, a daughter, who was born via surrogacy.
