Lily Collins’s Father Became Rich Being a Drummer He Inspired Her to Pursue Acting

Right before her first day of school, Lily Collins became a child of a broken home when her parents, Jill and Phil Collins, got divorced. The split profoundly impacted the sensitive actress and author, who wrote about it in her memoir.

Phill Collins has amassed legions of admirers as the drummer for Genesis and his solo career, but to Lilly Collins, he is a Trivial Pursuit-playing dad. The “To the Bone” star’s mum, Jill, still goes by her ex-husband’s surname on her active social media accounts.

A random encounter with one of her father’s fans changed the actress’s thoughts about her craft. She might not have followed him into the music industry, but his influence is evident in her work.

L-R) Jill Collins, actress Lily Collins and musician Phil Collins attend the premiere of “The Blind Side” at the Ziegfeld Theatre on November 17, 2009, in New York City. | Source: Getty Images

Lilly Collins’ family broke apart when she was six

American Jill Tavelman bonded with Phil over a comedy book and married on August 4, 1984. The drummer reportedly cheated on his wife with Lavinia Lang in 1992. He admonished himself for his infidelities in a 2016 interview.

“The Last Tycoon” star worked up the courage to talk to her dad and work through the issues with him.

The couple was granted a divorce on December 5, 1996, when their only daughter Lily was six years old. The drummer reportedly paid his second wife a settlement of £17 million. Jill was at the unveiling of her ex’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999.

Musician Phil Collins (L) and his daughter actress Lily Collins pose at the after party for the premiere of Relativity Media’s “Mirror Mirror” at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on March 17, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

The divorce deeply impacted Lily Collins’ relationship with her celebrated dad

Phil has been divorced three times, and Lily has spoken about its impact on her. In her 2017 memoir, “Lily Collins Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me,” the actress opened up about her relationship with her father:

“Because my dad was often gone, I never wanted to do anything that would make him stay away even longer. I became extra careful about what I said and how I said it, afraid he’d think I was angry or didn’t love him. And the truth is, I was angry. I missed him and wanted him there.”

As an adult, “The Last Tycoon” star worked up the courage to talk to her dad and work through the issues with him. On his January 30 birthday in 2022, she said that her dad “really sees her” and reassured him that she will always need him.

At a young age, Lily realized her father’s impact on the world through his art when a fan asked for a photo with him during their visit to Disney World, a place she did not associate with him. The then-child star took this experience to hone her craft. She said:

“You’re being vulnerable. You’re telling parts of your soul to the world through lyrics or through a part.”

Jill Collins, mother of Lily and “purveyor of oddities”

Jill opened a West Hollywood antique shop, Waverly on Doheny, in 2014. The lifelong collector considers herself a “purveyor of resurrected oddities” and sources her merchandise on trips around the globe. She is also involved in charity work.

The mother of one does not seem to have remarried after her painful divorce from Phil. She revealed on social media that she first connected with her pop-rocker ex through Steve Martin’s 1977 book “Cruel Shoes,” and was “incredibly happy” to find the first edition in 2022.

Lily Collins and her American mother are very close and share a similar dress sense and a passion for voting rights. In her birthday and Mother’s Day tributes to her mum in 2022, the actress thanked her for all the lessons and said she respects and appreciates her.

In an April 2021 post, mother and daughter match in grey and white striped shirts. The “Mirror Mirror” star called Jill an “incredible mom, inspiring woman and unbelievable human” and acknowledged her for the strength she instilled in her.