Image via Complex Original
Lily Collins is on a speeding train towards unprecedented stardom. She's the daughter of an internationally renowned musician, the rumored girlfriend of a teen heartthrob, and the lead in a remake of a classic film that's bound to be one of the most talked about movies next year. Lily has all the makings of the quintessential Hollywood starlet. Now, at 22 years old, Collins is leaping out of the Nickelodeon scene and into the A-list spotlight. After the jump, get familiar with the girl that will soon be the icebreaker topic of every industry conversation.
10. She is Phil Collins' daughter.
The last name and face shape says it all. The beautiful brunette was born in England and is the daughter of Grammy-award winning musician Phil Collins. Thanks to her dad, she has an Uncle Elton John and will be forever linked to the Tarzan soundtrack's "You'll Be In My Heart."
9. She made her U.S. acting debut on "90210" in 2009.
On the hit CW series, Collins debuted as Phoebe, Annie's (Shenae Grimes) new rival at West Beverly, for a multiple-episode arc. The new actress played the typical spoiled party girl seeking to, like, make Annie's life hell.
8. She's the lead in the "Snow White" remake coming out next year.
Screw the end of the world, there's something bigger happening in 2012: the release of two Snow White remakes. The first is tentatively titled The Brothers Grimm: Snow White, starring Lily Collins as the more traditional version of the fairytale icon. The second, Snow White and the Huntsman, stars Kristen Stewart as a more Joan of Arc-esque take on the original. Expect Team Lily and Team Kristen gear to sell out at your local mall.
7. She starred as Collins Luohy in "The Blind Side."
Given all of the hype and controversy surrounding Sandra Bullock, newcomer Quinton Aaron, and the film's racially-charged plot, it's easy to miss Lily in that mess. If you can sit through rewatching it, it's worth the memories you'll have of the actress, who plays Leigh Anne Tuohy's (Bullock) teen daughter Collins, by the movie's end.
6. She got her start as a correspondent on Nickelodeon.
Before she became the subject of on-camera interviews, Collins was a Nickelodeon correspondent and host of its news show Hollywood Hang, which followed all things in pop culture relevant to teenagers. Now she's more famous than the Nick kids she used to interview.
5. She's rumored to be dating her "Abduction" co-star Taylor Lautner.
Although neither camp has confirmed their relationship, Taylor Lautner's own words are worth a thousand angry Team Jacob tweets. When SheKnows.comasked which scene was his favorite in Abduction, the Twilight wolf turned action hero replied: "I liked the romantic scene in the train." Yeah, the infamous and risque heavy make-out session that was so awkwardly visible in the film's trailers.
4. She played Lucy in "Priest" (2011).
Lucy was the catalyst for Priest's (Paul Bettany) journey in the film. In the supernatural action thriller, Lily plays the warrior priest's niece whom he has to rescue after she is kidnapped by vampires. Despite her relatively minor role, Collins stood out as the only positive thing to take away from a film that was destroyed by critics.
3. She majored in Communications at USC.
After graduating from Harvard-Westlake High School in the San Fernando Valley, Collins moved onto where all L.A. kids go for college: Arizona State University of Southern California. There, she expanded her interest in journalism as a Communications major, a field where she already had experience. In high school, Collins wrote a column for Elle Girl UK and contributed to several publications including Teen Vogue and Seventeen.
2. She's funnier than you think.
Lily Collins was recently featured in Esquire's "Funny Joke From A Beautiful Woman" segment. To be honest, it took us a few times to get it because we got distracted checking her out, but multiple replays never hurt anyone.
1. She will star in film adaptation of young adult book series "The Mortal Instruments."
Not only is she competing with Kristen Stewart for the title of "The Better Snow White Movie," but Collins is also going after the Twilight actress' crown as the reigning queen of young adult book series adaptations and thus, the ultimate ruler of the tween world. True, Jennifer Lawrence may overtake Stewart first with her turn in Suzanne Collins' buzzed about novel-turned-film The Hunger Games, but that could change with Lily's role as Clary Frye from Cassandra Clare's popular novel.