A name that has popped up pretty regularly in my life as a movie watcher over the last decade is Lily Collins. Whether that be through her funny romantic comedies, intense dramas or TV shows, I’ve always found myself watching many of her projects and admiring her acting talent.
So today, we’re going to take a look at some of Lily Collins best movies and TV shows, and how you can watch them, from the start of her career to some of her most recent additions to her repertoire.
The Blind Side (HBO Max)
If you want an inspirational sports story, The Blind Side is the movie for you. Starring the superbly talented Sandra Bullock, this sports film tells the story of Michael Oher, a real-life NFL player who was homeless, until the kind hearts of a family - mainly its matriarch - took him in when no one else would and would create one of the most heartwarming tales in all of football.
Lily Collins actually made her film debut in this role as Collins, Michael’s adoptive sister in the movie, and her interactions with Michael are honestly some of the best, as it shows that family can come from anywhere. And truly, The Blind Side is one of those movies that you just need to watch if you want to feel good. Sandra Bullock won the Oscar for her role and it's well-deserved, but the whole cast really blew it out of the park.
Stream The Blind Side on HBO Max.
Rent The Blind Side on Amazon.
Stuck In Love (Amazon Prime)
Lily Collins has become a star of romantic comedies with some of her roles, and Stuck in Love is one of them. This film explores the complications of what the term ‘love’ can do in a family, whether it breaks them up, turns people off entirely, or brings them together. This is all talked about with the main family of the film, the Borgens.
Lily Collins plays Sam in Stuck in Love, and I love her in this movie. Something about her character’s ideas of love, preferring one night stands over actual relationships so she can stop the heartbreak before it happens, is so complicated yet so real. I also love the contrast that her character has with Nat Wolff’s character, Rusty (who is her brother in the movie), who absolutely is infatuated with love. It’s such an interesting and fun movie to watch and I think you would enjoy it too.
Stream Stuck in Love on Amazon Prime.
Rent on Stuck in Love on Apple TV.
Les Miserables (BBC)
While the 2013 movie musical Les Miserables stole the Academy Awards, it wasn’t long before the classic novel was adapted again, this time into a BBC miniseries. Les Miserables follows many characters during the French Revolution, but the main role is Jean Valjean, a man who wishes to do better in life and become a better version of himself after being locked up in prison for several years.
Lily Collins portrays Fantine, the poor young woman who had a child out of wedlock and is forced to enter into prostitution and sell her hair and teeth to keep her little girl alive. Let me tell you - if you thought that Anne Hathaway was amazing as Fantine, you have to check out Lily Collins’ version of her. It’s heart wrenching to see this young woman so full of life have her world completely turned upside down, turning into someone you hardly even recognize, and that is due to Lily Collins’ great acting skills. She knocks it out of the park with this one.
To The Bone (Netflix)
This Netflix original film turned heads for many reasons. To the Bone, starring Lily Collins, is a compelling drama that demonstrates a common mental illness that many people go through - anorexia. The main character shows her struggles and her battle, as she tries to get better despite all the odds.
Out of many of Collins’ performances on this list, To the Bone is one of my favorites, hands down. The sheer amount of dedication she put into this role is enough to win me over, but then you see her act her ass off as this young woman, creating a compelling performance that brings tears to my eyes.
Stream To the Bone on Netflix.
Okja (Netflix)
You want to know what happens when a pig with superpowers is exported out of South Korea? That’s what Okja is all about. Watch a little girl try and stop the United States from mishandling her specialized pig.
That premise sounds absolutely bonkers but hear me out. Okja has a large ensemble cast with plenty of talent, including the same director as Parasite, Bong Joon-ho, but the story is so much fun and you’d never expect it to be but truly, I don’t think I’ve had this much fun watching a movie at home in a while. Lily Collins plays Red, one of the animal-rights activists in the movie, and I’ve always loved how she and the others’ chemistry just flows so well.
The whole cast is super talented as well, combining both famous South Korean actors and American ones. Truly, this film is underrated and you should watch it soon.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile (Netflix)
Another Netflix original film on here, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is about one of the most famous serial killers of all time, Ted Bundy. This disturbing story shows just how Ted Bundy used his charm and his wits to lure his victims, and how nobody - not even the woman he truly loved - could ever see what he was doing.
I love Lily Collins in this movie. Playing Liz Kendall, Ted Bundy’s romantic partner, was truly a test of her acting talent, as her scenes - especially near the end - alongside Zac Efron are spectacular and show just how much range she has. Also, let’s talk about this - Zac Efron was also such a perfect choice for Ted Bundy. I mean, who else could pull off that charm mixed in with that craziness? Such great casting on this one.
Stream Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile on Netflix.
Mank (Netflix)
Directed by David Fincher, Mank is our last Netflix original movie on this list, and it’s about the origin story of one of the greatest movies of all time - Citizen Kane. The titular character, the real-life screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz struggled for years to write the film, but this movie shows his ups and downs, and his struggles to somehow create the famous drama.
If we’re going by the most critically acclaimed roles of Lily Collins’ career, Mank would be in first place. In the Academy-Award nominated film, the Mank cast was filled with so much talent, and Lily Collins just added onto that with her portrayal of Mank’s secretary, showing just how much a person can influence a writer and what they do. As someone who has always had a passion for screenwriting, Mank is a brilliant experience from beginning to end.
Tolkien (Amazon Rental)
If you’re a fan of the Lord of the Rings series, be sure to rent Tolkien on your next Amazon night. This biographical film, starring Nicholas Hoult and Lily Collins, tells the origin story of the famous fantasy writer, J.R.R. Tolkien, and how he somehow came up with the wonderful world of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, documenting his child years into adulthood.
I grew up loving fantasy movies and fantasy series’, so watching this film about one of my all-time favorite authors is definitely such a fun time. Lily Collins as Edith Bratt, the actual real-life wife of Tolkien, was perfect casting, and her chemistry with Hoult is amazing. I’ve always adored their love story, but they really bring it to life in this film, not only showing how long they knew each other but how much Tolkien truly loved his wife and how much inspiration she gave him. I could re-watch this film over and over.
Love, Rosie (Paramount+)
Another fun romantic comedy on this list, Love, Rosie tells the classic story of friends becoming lovers. Both Rosie and Alex have been friends for several years, but somehow, even though it’s obvious they have clear crushes on each other, they never seem to get together. However, when life starts to change, they start to change with it.
Love, Rosie isn’t the most revolutionary romantic comedy. It’s the same formula you would expect from a film like this. But what really saves it for me is Lily Collins’ performance, and her chemistry that she has with her co-star, Sam Claflin. Those two are so cute as best friends, and even their younger counterparts create such a fun, sweet story that anyone can enjoy.
Stream Love, Rosie on Paramount+
Rent Love, Rosie on Amazon.
Rules Don’t Apply (Amazon Rental)
Howard Hughes is one of the most famous film directors and producers probably ever, producing some classic films you might know - like Scarface, Hell’s Angels, Vendetta and many, many others from the 1930s to the 1950s. Rules Don’t Apply follows this famous man, and the tight grip he would have on the people in his company, including, a young actress and her love she has for her driver.
While this movie didn’t do super well at the box office, I still think Rules Don’t Apply is a great film and Lily Collins is awesome as Marla, the main actress that Howard Hughes is keeping an eye on throughout the film, showing her desperation to try and keep the love of her life, well, in her life. I also love Warren Beatty as Howard Hughes - he really captures the powerful aura the producer had back then and how much weight he had in Hollywood.
Rent Rules Don’t Apply on Amazon.
Mirror Mirror (Amazon Rental)
If you ever wanted a different take on a classic fairytale, check out Mirror Mirror. This film, starring Lily Collins and Julia Roberts, tells the story of Snow White, but not like how you imagined her to be. When her father dies and her evil stepmother takes over, Snow White takes it upon herself to get the help from some friends so she can defeat her stepmother and take back the throne for herself.
Let me tell you - there are a couple of people I think are perfect casting for live-action princesses. I think that Lily Collins was the best choice for Snow White for so many reasons. She captures that bubbliness that we know the character has mixed in with a surprising amount of strength and resilience that she has to take on her stepmother despite everything being against her, and I gotta say, Lily Collins kills it.
Emily In Paris (Netflix)
It’s why you’re here, isn’t it? Emily in Paris is a Netflix show that follows the titular character when she is whisked away to Paris for a business opportunity, as she tries to adapt to not only the new people around her but a whole new culture and lifestyle.
Emily in Paris has faced some controversy over its time on Netflix, but I’ll be honest, it’s one of my guilty pleasures, and that’s mainly because of Lily Collins in the lead role. Somehow, she makes Emily feel a lot more relatable rather than someone who is completely clueless to the world of Paris as she tries to fit in, and her fashion is to die for. I wish I could pull off her outfits like she does. And the Emily in Paris cast is full of talent.
Stream Emily in Paris on Netflix.
With Emily in Paris Season 2 out now, it’s the perfect time to look back on Collins’ best roles so far and see which out of these picks is your favorite. Or maybe re-watch Emily in Paris again while making some croissants, I’m not sure. Either way, you’ll have a fun time.
