Lily Collins pens heartfelt birthday tribute to husband Charlie McDowell
Synopsis
Lily Collins’s birthday post for husband Charlie McDowell was more than a social media moment — it was a window into a quietly grounded Hollywood marriage. Written in the year the couple welcomed their first child via surrogacy, the tribute underscores a deliberate pivot by one of streaming’s biggest stars toward family-first living, even as Emily in Paris keeps her in the global spotlight.
Key Takeaways
Lily Collins shared a birthday tribute to husband Charlie McDowell , calling him her ‘favourite person.’ Collins and McDowell got engaged in 2020 and married in 2021 .
In 2025 , the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, via surrogacy.
Collins began her acting career at age two in Growing Pains and gained recognition in The Blind Side .
She received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress for her role in Rules Don’t Apply .
Collins is best known globally for her lead role in the Netflix series Emily in Paris .
Lily Collins, best known for her role in the hit Netflix series Emily in Paris, has shared a warm and personal birthday tribute to her husband, filmmaker Charlie McDowell, calling him her ‘favourite person’ and reflecting on how her love for him deepens with every passing year.
The Birthday Message
Collins shared a carousel of romantic photographs alongside a heartfelt note. “Another trip around the sun for my favourite person. Every year I love you more, laugh harder, and find even more reasons to admire you,” she wrote. The actress also credited McDowell for being a stabilising force in their lives: “You keep our family grounded and make anywhere I am with you feel like home. I’m so grateful for all you do for us and for the incredible man and father you are.”
A Season of Growth
Collins closed her post with a reference to the couple’s evolving chapter together. “A little green in every slide because this season of life has been full of growth, and I wouldn’t want to share it with anyone else. I love you beyond words. Happy birthday my one…” The green-toned images, she indicated, were a deliberate nod to personal and family growth. Notably, in 2025, Collins announced the arrival of the couple’s first child — a daughter — via surrogacy, making this birthday tribute particularly resonant.
Collins and McDowell: Their Story
Collins and McDowell got engaged in 2020 and married the following year in 2021. The couple’s relationship has played out largely away from the tabloid spotlight, with Collins frequently describing McDowell as a grounding presence. This birthday post offers one of her more candid public reflections on their partnership.
Lily Collins: Career at a Glance
Collins began her on-screen journey at the age of two in the sitcom Growing Pains, though she started acting more regularly in the late 2000s. She gained wider recognition with her supporting role in the sports drama The Blind Side, before going on to headline films such as Mirror Mirror, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, and the horror feature Priest.
Her dramatic range earned critical acclaim in Rules Don’t Apply — a romantic comedy for which she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress — and in the eating-disorder drama To the Bone. She has also appeared in the biopics Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, Tolkien, and Mank. Her global breakthrough, however, came with Emily in Paris, which turned her into one of streaming’s most recognisable faces.
With a new chapter of motherhood underway, Collins’s public posts suggest a performer increasingly at peace with both her personal and professional life.
Point of View
The most resonant moments are the personal ones. What stands out here is not the romance but the framing — ‘growth,’ ‘grounded,’ ‘family’ — language that signals a deliberate repositioning by an actress who has spent years navigating the tension between global fame and private life. With a child now in the picture and Emily in Paris cementing her mainstream reach, Collins is quietly constructing a public image that is as much about who she is off-screen as on it.
NationPress
11 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Charlie McDowell, Lily Collins’s husband?
Charlie McDowell is a filmmaker and the husband of actress Lily Collins. The couple got engaged in 2020 and married in 2021, and together they welcomed their first child, a daughter, via surrogacy in 2025.
What did Lily Collins write in her birthday message to Charlie McDowell?
Collins wrote: ‘Another trip around the sun for my favourite person. Every year I love you more, laugh harder, and find even more reasons to admire you.’ She also credited McDowell for keeping their family grounded and praised him as a father.
When did Lily Collins and Charlie McDowell get married?
Lily Collins and Charlie McDowell got engaged in 2020 and married in 2021. They welcomed their first child, a daughter, via surrogacy in 2025.
What is Lily Collins best known for?
Lily Collins is best known for her lead role in the Netflix series Emily in Paris. She has also appeared in films including The Blind Side, Mirror Mirror, To the Bone, and the biopics Tolkien and Mank, and received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress for Rules Don’t Apply.
Did Lily Collins and Charlie McDowell have a child?
Yes. In 2025, Lily Collins announced the arrival of the couple’s first child, a daughter, born via surrogacy.
