The Lily Collins No One Knows: ‘Emily in Paris’ Star Is ‘Quite Shy’ and a ‘Homebody in Real Life’

A “massive” Spice Girls fan, Lily Collins once claimed she would lip sync the rap portion of “Wannabe” anytime, any place. So when the Emily in Paris lead appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on September 17, the host took her up on the challenge and played the iconic song. Lily stood up, danced and matched Mel B’s words perfectly.

It was something her plucky alter ego, Emily Cooper, might do on Lily’s hit Netflix series. But the move was actually a bit off-brand for the actress herself.

“Lily is quite shy, not as bubbly or outgoing as her character,” shares an insider. “She says that people don’t realize that she’s a total homebody in real life!”

Lily Collins Behind Closed Doors

Indeed, even though she began acting at age 2 on the BBC comedy-drama Growing Pains , Lily, 35, is hardly a Hollywood party girl. “I love watching reality TV shows because they help me unwind and relax,” she’s said. “I love Top Chef, Real Housewives and Project Runway.”

A lot of Lily’s reasons for staying out of the limelight come from growing up with her famous father, music legend Phil Collins , 73. “I remember being a kid at Disneyland with my dad and having someone come up and ask him for a photo,” she told Today. “There’s a way to maintain a balance, and that’s not always easy … I’ve witnessed and learned and grew from what I saw as a kid.”

Luckily, she’s found an understanding partner in Charlie McDowell , 41. The writer-director is the son of actors Malcolm McDowell , 81, and Mary Steenburgen , 71, as well as the stepson of Ted Danson , 76.

“Lily and Charlie grew up in show business, but you’d never know it by their personalities,” says the insider. “They’re both super low-key and down to earth.”

The duo met on the set of his flick Gilded Rage , and Lily has gushed: “I knew the second I met him that I wanted to be his wife one day. It was just a matter of when, really.”

That when ended up being 2021, and the pair couldn’t be happier. “They love to cook, love to travel and hike and be outdoors as much as possible,” says the insider, adding Lily and Charlie have found their bliss in Copenhagen, where they bought property in recent years. “It’s become a second home. They adore the people, the style, the food, everything about it.”

The couple also enjoy time with family. “Charlie is very close with his parents and siblings,” says the insider. “They vacation together every summer, and Lily is close to them all, too.”

But Lily is always happy to get back on the set of Emily in Paris , which was just renewed for a fifth season. “With the growth of Emily, there’s come a real growth in myself … as an actor, but also as a producer,” Lily told AP . “I’ve grown more confident as Emily but also with Lily.”