Don’t try to find a thematic throughline on Lily Collins’ résumé. Whatever genre of film and TV you’ve got a penchant for, you’ve likely seen her at work. She has that ineffable ability to catch your eye yet melt into a character, whether it’s as Snow White in “Mirror, Mirror,” Emily on “Emily in Paris,” or playing the real-life Rita Alexander in David Fincher’s hotly anticipated “Mank.” Collins credits her willingness to put it all on the table as the reason she’s won roles, and after a decade working across so many genres and mediums, she’s learned not to take rejection personally. Her work is all the better for it.
What was your big break?
“The Blind Side.” Ironically, I was filming two episodes of the remake of “90210,” which Darren Star [created] the original. Then I turned 20, and a week after my 20th birthday I was finishing my last scene on the set. I went back to my trailer and got “The Blind Side.” Ten years later, I got the lead in a Darren Star show. I know it’s pretty rare to have your first film end up getting an Oscar. It was a very crazy trajectory for a first experience.
Lily Collins Earned Her Spot by Putting in the Work + Pushing Through the ‘Nos’ “I think it’s really important that if you feel strongly about trying something, try it. The worst that’s going to happen is they don’t use it.”
What performance should every actor see and why?
I love “The Breakfast Club”—or any of John Hughes’ films, to be honest. But I really love “The Breakfast Club.” All the characters are so relatable. The dialogue is so good, the way in which it’s delivered is so real, and you just feel so connected to every single person. I love how different each of the characters are, especially when you’re in school at that age, too. It’s the cliques and the different people, and how they all can come together. When you can take amazing dialogue and really make it your own—I can’t imagine any other actors playing those characters. They just took them and ran with it and defined that movie. John Hughes defined that era of film for me. I love it so much.
What advice would you give your younger self?
It would have to be not letting no define whether you continue auditioning or wanting to act or be a part of this industry. If I took “No” as “No, this isn’t for you,” I would have never been in the position I’m in. I can’t even tell you how many times I got told no. At one point, I kept all the scripts that I’d ever auditioned for that I was told no for, and I was like, Why am I holding on to this? It’s bad juju. There are so many factors that go into the ultimate casting that it’s often not personal. It’s not about you, specifically, as a human. It’s what you bring to the character, but there’s so much more outside of your control.
What’s an audition horror story you’ve experienced?
I have horror stories, but what comes to mind is leaving an audition where I didn’t connect with the lines and thinking, This is the worst thing I’ve ever done. I had to laugh about it and think, I’m never looking at this material again. I don’t even think the movie ever got made, so it was fine. It was very early on for me. I had psyched myself out so much—never again.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever done to get a part?
It was for “Mirror, Mirror.” I went back to my car after the audition and I thought, I could have given more. There’s something else I need to do. I don’t feel like I sealed the deal in the room, and I’m going to go home and I’m going to deeply regret not going back there and trying something else. I got back out of my car, I went back to the audition room, and I was like, “I’m so sorry. I really don’t mean to bother you.” I was the last one of the day, so I knew that I wasn’t intruding on another audition. I said, “I know this is so weird, but I just feel like I need to try one more thing. Please, can I try one more thing?” Luckily, he welcomed me and said, “Sure. I think you were great, but let’s try.” I could never tell if he was just being nice. I ended up doing the last scene one more time, and it was one of the scenes when Snow White is learning from the dwarves how to fight and how to use her voice and gain confidence. I remember just going for it and throwing this big punch at the camera. In the moment, I was asking myself, “Lily, what are you doing?” But also, just, “Show that you’re driven, show your initiative, just go for it.” Then, I kind of just felt like I was having an exorcism of creativity, and then I finished and said, “OK, thank you so much. That’s all I wanted to try.” I left and thought, OK, now I can sleep well tonight, knowing that even if I don’t get it, at least I showed initiative.
Don’t ever assume that someone won’t be open to you trying something new. It was emblematic to me: Even when you’ve gotten a job and you’re in in the scene and there’s something left that you want to do, if you have the time and you have someone who’s willing to collaborate and give you that time to be creative and try new things, you have nothing to lose to try it again. If there’s something you want to try as an actor, that’s important. You were cast for a reason, or you were brought on to be this character for a reason. Only you can bring that other element, and I think it’s really important that if you feel strongly about trying something, try it. The worst that’s going to happen is they don’t use it. At least you will know you tried.
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