You’ve seen her running around the cobblestone streets of France, wearing outfits that cost more than a mid-sized sedan. But off-camera, Lily Collins has traded the Chanel berets for something a lot more relatable: diaper changes and 3:00 AM wake-up calls. Honestly, the internet has been buzzing for a while about whether the Emily in Paris star was ever going to start a family.
She did. And she did it on her own terms.
In early 2025, Lily and her husband, director Charlie McDowell, surprised basically everyone by announcing they had welcomed their first child. It wasn’t the typical "bump watch" pregnancy the tabloids love to track. Instead, they shared a quiet, heartfelt post that shifted the entire conversation around how Hollywood stars navigate the deeply personal path to becoming parents.
The Reality of Lily Collins Kids and the Surrogacy Journey
There’s a lot of noise out there, so let’s get the facts straight. Lily Collins and Charlie McDowell welcomed their daughter, Tove Jane McDowell, via surrogate in late January 2025. The name "Tove" (pronounced Too-vuh) is a nod to their shared love of Scandinavia—the couple famously spent their honeymoon in Norway and Sweden and even bought a home in Copenhagen. It’s a Norse name meaning "beloved." Kind of perfect, right?
They didn't hide the fact that they used a surrogate. In their Instagram announcement, they were incredibly vocal about their "endless gratitude" for the woman who carried Tove. However, because this is the internet, the news wasn’t met with 100% sunshine and rainbows. Some people were... well, pretty harsh.
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Critics jumped on the "renting a womb" narrative, which is a common (and often unfair) backlash celebrities face when they use surrogacy. Charlie didn't take it lying down. He eventually hit back at the "unkind messages," essentially telling the world that nobody knows someone else’s medical history or why they might need help to bring a child into the world. It was a rare moment of a celebrity spouse drawing a hard line in the sand.
Why the "Secret" Pregnancy Worked for Them
Lily has spent her entire life in the spotlight. When your dad is Phil Collins, you don't really get a "normal" childhood. Maybe that's why she kept the process so private. For months, fans were looking for a baby bump that was never going to appear. While she was filming Season 5 of Emily in Paris, she was technically a mom-to-be, just not in the way people expected.
- Arrival Date: January 31, 2025
- Method: Gestational Surrogacy
- The Name: Tove Jane (Jane is a family name she shares with Lily)
- Current Status: Living between Los Angeles and Copenhagen
Balancing a Newborn and a Netflix Empire
If you think your Monday mornings are stressful, imagine being three months postpartum and having to fly to Paris to film a high-octane Netflix series. That’s exactly what Lily did. In late 2025, she opened up about the "mental gymnastics" of being a working mom.
She told Good Morning America that she had to officially "let go of perfectionism."
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She’s a self-admitted Type A personality. Usually, she knows every line and every blocking point before she even steps on set. But with Tove in the picture? She admitted to showing up some days exhausted, telling the crew, "Look, I didn't sleep, I might mess up a line, just roll with me."
It's a side of Lily we haven't seen before. The polished "Emily" facade cracked a bit, replaced by a woman who is genuinely struggling to figure out the work-life balance that every parent talks about. Her co-star and best friend Ashley Park has been a massive support, often seen in the background of "mom-life" snaps helping out.
Growing Up as a "Collins" Kid
One of the most touching things Lily has shared recently is her desire for Tove to know her grandfather's legacy. Phil Collins has had some well-documented health struggles over the last few years, and Lily has been very intentional about making sure her daughter spends time with him.
She mentioned in a recent interview that she plays Phil's music for Tove constantly. There is something really poetic about the daughter of the man who wrote "You'll Be in My Heart" for Tarzan now playing that same song for her own child.
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She's also been very clear that she doesn't want Tove to be a "nepo baby" in the sense of being handed a career. Both Lily and Charlie come from massive Hollywood dynasties (Charlie’s parents are Mary Steenburgen and Malcolm McDowell), so they know the pressure that comes with a famous last name. They seem determined to give her a "hybrid" upbringing—part Hollywood, part quiet Danish life.
What’s Next for the McDowell-Collins Family?
As of early 2026, the family is doing well. They’ve been spotted walking through parks in London and Los Angeles, looking like any other tired but happy parents.
While people are already asking if they want "more" kids, the couple seems focused on Tove for now. They’ve launched a production company together called Case Study Films, and they’ve been very vocal about how motherhood has changed Lily's perspective on the roles she chooses. She’s looking for deeper, more meaningful projects now.
If you’re following Lily's journey, the takeaway is simple: she’s proving that there is no "right" way to build a family. Whether it’s through surrogacy, adoption, or traditional pregnancy, the end goal is the same.
To stay updated on Lily’s journey, keep an eye on her verified social media for the occasional "paws and feet" photo—she’s still very protective of Tove’s face, which, in 2026, is probably the smartest move a celebrity parent can make. Focus on the interviews where she discusses her Scandinavian lifestyle; it’s likely where she’ll be spending more of her time as she moves away from the "Emily" era and into her role as a mother.