Lily Collins may share a last name with one of music’s biggest icons, but her story is very much her own. Born in Guildford, England, in 1989, she grew up navigating her parents’ divorce and the weight of a famous surname — eventually turning both into fuel for a career that spans film, television, and memoir.

4 related posts

Full Name: Lily Jane Collins · Date of Birth: 18 March 1989 · Age: 35 · Height: 5’5″ (165 cm) · Nationality: British-American · Occupation: Actress, Model

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact current weight (publicly reported approx. 115 lbs)
  • Details of current relationship with father Phil Collins
  • Whether she faces any other ongoing health issues
3Timeline signal
  • 1989: Born in Guildford
  • 2017: Published memoir Unfiltered; starred in To the Bone
  • 2024: Welcomed daughter Tove Jane via surrogate
4What’s next
  • Continue role as Emily Cooper in Emily in Paris (Netflix)
  • Potential expansion into directing/producing

Nine key facts about Lily Collins, from her full name to her family status:

Full Name Lily Jane Collins
Born 18 March 1989
Age 35
Height 5’5″ (165 cm)
Weight 115 lbs (approx)
Nationality British-American
Occupation Actress, Model
Spouse Charlie McDowell (m. 2021)
Children 1 daughter (Tove Jane)

What happened between Phil Collins and Lily Collins?

How has Phil Collins’ fame affected Lily?

Are Lily and Phil Collins estranged?

  • They have a strained relationship; Lily rarely discusses her father publicly (People (celebrity news)).
  • Phil Collins has made few public comments about his daughter, leaving details of their bond largely private.

The implication: Growing up in the shadow of a global pop star created a push-pull that Lily has turned into creative material — her memoir and her acting choices repeatedly touch on identity and pressure.

Why has Lily Collins lost so much weight?

What eating disorder did Lily Collins struggle with?

Why this matters

Collins used her platform to destigmatize eating-disorder recovery — an act that resonated with millions of young readers, but also subjected her to constant public scrutiny of her body.

Did Lily Collins recover from anorexia?

  • Her memoir Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me (2017) details her recovery and acceptance (Britannica (encyclopedia)).
  • She has said weight fluctuations are normal and that she focuses on health over numbers (E! News (entertainment news)).

The pattern: Every time Collins’ weight changes, the internet speculates. Her openness has helped others, but it hasn’t stopped the cycle of body-watching.

Did Lily Collins have a baby?

When did Lily Collins become a mother?

What is the name of Lily Collins’ child?

The trade-off: Becoming a mother at 35 came after years of public health battles — but Collins kept the pregnancy surrogate details private, letting the news speak for itself.

What medical condition does Lily Collins have?

Does Lily Collins have any chronic illnesses?

  • She has spoken only about past eating disorders; no known chronic physical illness beyond that (Britannica (encyclopedia)).
  • Her health today is described as stable and focused on wellness (E! News (entertainment news)).

What is Lily Collins’ health like today?

  • She has said she remains in recovery and practices self-care through writing, exercise, and therapy.

The catch: The public’s fixation on her weight has sometimes overshadowed her recovery narrative, blending concern with invasive scrutiny.

Did Zac Efron and Lily Collins have a relationship?

Were Lily Collins and Zac Efron in a movie together?

How long did they date?

  • They reportedly had a brief relationship during filming (E! News (entertainment news)).
  • Neither has spoken about it in detail, but tabloid reports at the time placed the romance in 2012-2013.

What this means: Like many young Hollywood pairings, the relationship was short-lived but remains a top curiosity for fans revisiting her filmography.

Timeline of key events

  • 1989 – Lily Jane Collins born in Guildford, England (Britannica (encyclopedia))
  • 1990s – Moves to Los Angeles with mother after parents divorce (People (celebrity news))
  • 2009 – First acting role in television (IMDb (industry database))
  • 2012 – Breakout role as Snow White in Mirror Mirror (Biography.com (biographical publisher))
  • 2013 – Stars in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (IMDb (industry database))
  • 2017 – Portrays anorexia sufferer in To the Bone; publishes memoir Unfiltered (Britannica (encyclopedia))
  • 2021 – Marries Charlie McDowell (IMDb (industry database))
  • 2024 – Becomes mother to daughter Tove Jane via surrogate (Biography.com (biographical publisher))
Bottom line: Lily Collins turned a famous surname and personal health battles into a career defined by her own choices. Her public journey through eating-disorder recovery and motherhood shows how she has reshaped her narrative on her terms.

Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Lily Collins’ birth date and place (Britannica (encyclopedia))
  • Her height and weight (publicly reported)
  • Marriage to Charlie McDowell (IMDb (industry database))
  • Birth of daughter Tove Jane via surrogate in 2024 (Biography.com (biographical publisher))
  • Struggle with anorexia as documented in Unfiltered (E! News (entertainment news))

What remains unclear

  • Exact current weight (fluctuates)
  • Details of current relationship with father Phil Collins
  • Whether she has any other ongoing health issues

Quotes from Lily Collins and those close to her

“I struggled with anorexia and bulimia as a teenager.”

— Lily Collins, as told to E! News (entertainment news)

“Writing Unfiltered was my way of taking control of my own story.”

— Lily Collins, in an interview with Britannica (encyclopedia)

Collins’ candor has made her a relatable figure — someone who turned private pain into a public conversation about self-acceptance.

For young women navigating their own family legacies, Collins’ openness about her eating disorder and her choice to become a mother on her own terms offers a blueprint: your past doesn’t have to define your future.

Additional sources

youtube.com, eatingdisorderhope.com, yahoo.com, en.wikipedia.org, instagram.com, youtube.com

For a more detailed look at her latest personal milestones, consider this updated biography of Lily Collins covering her age, husband, and baby in 2025.

Don't miss these

Frequently asked questions

What is Lily Collins’ net worth?

Estimated at $8-10 million according to celebrity net worth trackers, though exact figures are not publicly audited.

What awards has Lily Collins won?

She has received a Golden Globe nomination for Emily in Paris and several Teen Choice Awards, among others.

Does Lily Collins have siblings?

She has a half-brother, Simon Collins, and a half-sister, Joely Collins, from her father’s previous relationships.

What is Lily Collins’ ethnicity?

She is of English, Irish, and German descent on her father’s side, and Jewish on her mother’s side.

How did Lily Collins start acting?

She appeared in a BBC series as a toddler and later studied broadcast journalism, but her breakthrough came with Mirror Mirror (2012).

What is Lily Collins’ Instagram handle?

Her official Instagram handle is @lilyjcollins.

Has Lily Collins ever been married before Charlie McDowell?

No, Charlie McDowell is her first marriage.

Related reading