Lily Collins Movies & TV Roles, Ranked — From Rosie To Emily

From Rosie to Emily

Most of Lily Collins’ movies and tv roles have a sense of similarity to each other. Whether it’s a romantic who’s hopelessly in love with her best friend or a marketing ingenue living in Paris, almost all characters that Lily Collins gives life to has a touch of fresh-faced charm — a trait that’s become a signature of the actress herself. Even so, there’s still a subtle but distinct nuance to the way she plays her various roles in movies and tv which is nothing short of impressive.



Since the 32-year-old actress just hit a life milestone by getting married to film director Charlie McDowell (in a fairytale-like “secret” wedding, no less), we’re taking a quick stroll down memory lane and ranking our top five most favourite Lily Collins movies and tv roles so far — from the one we sort of like to the one we love the most.


#5: Snow White in Mirror, mirror (2012)



No one can deny that Lily Collins is suited for the role of Snow White. With her thick brunette locks, porcelain complexion and doe eyes, this role feels like it's made for her. But aside from having all the iconic physical features of this OG Disney Princess, Lily Collins also nailed that naive yet spunky persona of Snow White as reimagined in the modern-day. Even as an up-and-coming actress, Lily Collins was able to stand out in her scenes with veteran actress Julia Roberts who plays the Evil Queen. 


Favourite moment: Lily Collins made her singing debut in this film with I Believe (In Love), and the dance number was as campy and feel-good as they come. Watch it for yourself here.


#4: Liz Kendall in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)



While most films that depict the lives of serial killers centres solely on them, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile gives more than a glimpse of how the people close to the criminal are affected by their actions and deceptions. In this biographical crime drama film, Lily Collins plays Liz Kendall who became romantically involved with the infamous American serial killer Ted Bundy (Zac Efron). Here, we see Lily Collins portray a conflicted woman who trusted that her lover is innocent and stood by his side — up to a certain point, that is. It's a complicated role that's hard to enact but Lily Collins nailed it.


Favourite moment: When it was revealed that — spoiler alert — it was Liz Kendall who tipped the cops about Ted Bundy, we see another side to this multilayered character. And when Liz confronted Ted face-to-face at a prison visit, it was one of the most intense scenes in the film. 


#3: Emily in Emily In Paris (2020)



Emily's character is divisive, to say the least. She's been called annoying, entitled and all of the adjectives slash insults commonly thrown at millennials. There's also the controversy of the show Emily In Paris getting nominations at the Golden Globe which some felt was undeserved. Still, an argument could be made that through this bubbly and bumbling character we get to indulge in a momentary bliss of fashionable escapism, something we need now and then during a pandemic. Lily Collins as Emily is just as magnetic and charming as she always is. And with a promise to have a better Emily in the second season, we're excited to see how Lily Collins will portray this new, improved Emily. 


Favourite moment: Nothing will top that night when Emily and her newfound BFF Mindy went on a fun night out in Paris. It was also the moment when we discovered new spots in Paris that we're adding to our must-visit list. 


#2: Ellen in To The Bone (2017)



Another controversial Lily Collins movie role that raised the eyebrows of critics is the character of Ellen in To The Bone — a young woman who's struggling with anorexia and came close to being on the brink of death. Because Lily Collins also suffered from the eating disorder, which she revealed in her book Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me (a book that's published just months before To The Bone streamed on Netflix), some thought that it would be triggering for her and young audiences. But she also garnered praise for her performance as the sarcastic but secretly vulnerable Ellen. 


Favourite moment: To The Bone had plenty of cathartic moments, but the one that takes the cake is when Ellen is cradled by her mother like a baby. There was so many emotions packed in that scene: sorrow, hope and longing.


#1: Rosie in Love, Rosie (2014)



Rosie is peak Lily Collins, and by that, we mean that this protagonist embodies all the qualities the actress is known for — spunky, charming and fresh-faced. Love, Rosie follows two childhood best friends Rosie and Alex (Sam Claflin) who are in love with each other but never had the right timing to be with each other. Throughout the film, the two almost always misses the chance to be with each other by the hair. It's a frustrating yet feel-good story that many love to this day. 


Favourite moment: There are so many funny and romantic moments in this movie but the one that captured our heart the most is the dreamy ending scene where Rosie has already manifested her dream hotel and she and Alex finally got together. 


(Cover photo from: LionsgateFilmsUK YouTube Channel)


Next, check our ranking of Sandra Oh's movie and TV roles.

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