Lily Collins on Life as Emily, French Pharmacy Staples and Finding Confidence

Lily Collins needs little introduction. From her early roles in Love, Rosie and Mirror Mirror to her West End run in Barcelona, she’s been a fixture on our screens for years. Along the way, her own personal style has become a point of fascination, from red carpet moments to her cool‑girl looks that stand apart from her on‑screen wardrobe.

Considering that her role in Emily in Paris has fuelled a renewed cultural obsession with both the city and the actress herself, when I meet Lily it’s hard not to be curious about her personal connection to Paris. We catch up at a Maison Perrier event where she is announcing her new ambassador role, which feels as though it’s been lifted straight from the show. We discussed everything from her favourite on‑set moments and bloopers, to her go‑to French pharmacy staples, as well as motherhood, confidence, and her ultimate outfit formula. Plus, what actually inspired her iconic (and now signature) bob.

When you look back at the roles you've played, what have they taught you about yourself?

I discover a little bit of something new with each role. It's therapeutic at times, it's super empowering at other times. You never stop learning about yourself. For me, that's a lesson in and of itself. Sometimes I think I've hit limits within myself when I'm doing a role, and then the next role makes me go further and push further. So it's been really interesting to see the lengths that I can push myself to for each character, and the confidence that I can build to try new things.

Everyone I know is obsessed with Emily in Paris - what’s been your favourite part?

Meeting Ashley Park - I found a sister in the show. And just being a part of something that is making people smile and laugh. To feel a part of something bigger than just a show has been such an honour, and I'm so grateful for it. The first season came out during COVID and I think everyone wanted to just laugh and feel good and travel, and to be a part of that in people's homes is such a gift.

How much do you relate to Emily in your own life?

I'm a constant optimist, I'm a go-getter. I'm super enthusiastic about my work and about my friendships. I'm solution-driven, I'm very much that kind of optimistic, inspirational attitude that Emily Cooper has. I think I learned quicker than Emily about asking for help from people, that it's okay to ask for help. It's a strength, not a weakness. It's okay not to be liked by everyone. I had that knowledge and experience prior to Emily, so it was interesting to see her learn that.

This event is very much Emily in Paris in real life…

This is literally my campaign come to life! I felt like I was stepping back into the commercial. It's so beautifully done. I feel like Emily would be very proud.

Emily's wardrobe has become instantly recognisable. How different is her style from your own day-to-day?

I would say it's different. I love dressing as Emily. I'm probably more geared towards understated, comfortable chic, and she's more bold and loud in her choices. Not even loud in terms of colour - just that she makes choices and statements with everything she wears, whereas I kind of pick and choose. Also, being a mum now I'm definitely more functional. I wear heels a lot less - now I'm usually in ballet flats or sneakers.

When you're not filming or on the red carpet, what's your everyday outfit formula?

Oversized blazer, a great pair of jeans (mostly high-waisted), a button-down tee in light blue or white. A comfy cropped sweater and a solid sneaker or a ballet flat with a oversized bag to fit everything in for when I'm not wearing it. Ashley and I always joked, when we need an oversized blazer we just get it from the men's department for that slouchy look.

What inspired you to go for the chop with a bob?

I wanted something different. I always lean on my hairstylist Gregory Russell to take me somewhere new. Darren [Star] and the rest of the producers on the show really allow me to be me in terms of my look. Marilyn [Fitoussi] always says that when I get a haircut, it inspires her new season for what Emily wears. For example, when I got the bangs in real life she said that, all of a sudden, she saw the wardrobe! When I got the chop, she said the same thing. It also just feels like who I am right now. Women change their hair when they need to change in their life. I feel and that's kind of always been my thing.

It can be a high-maintenance cut - how do you keep it looking chic?

I only ever air dry it and I had to get over the whole maintaining-it-and-cutting-it-all-the-time. The shorter the hair, the more you notice that it needs to be cut... once you get over the fact that you're not gonna be able to maintain it all the time, it's very freeing!

Parisians are known for their beauty rituals. Which French beauty habits have you picked up?

Cicaplast and Cicalfate are the two creams that you get at the French pharmacies, which are the best places to buy beauty products. Cicaplast can heal anything, literally anything. I use it on my baby too. It's like the greatest cream.

What's your signature fragrance?

I don't have a signature fragrance! I'm always smelling other peoples. I'll say to someone, ‘Oh, I love your scent. What is it?’ And then I try it on myself and see what works. I'm also a fan of hand cream, and you can't really mix the two sometimes if it's scented because it's just too much. So I wouldn't say I have a signature scent, but I gravitate towards different things when I'm feeling a certain way, like orange blossom, Rose, Cedarwood, patchouli. It kind of just depends on how I’m feeling!

Does scent help you get into character?

Ashley is big on that, in terms of a scent representing a character. When I did the play last year, she made me a perfume and she named it something for me. It was a perfume I sprayed every performance, and it became my character's smell. I've kept the remnants of it in my little cabinet because whenever I want to smell it, and the memory of the play, I just smell that. It's so interesting because I've never done that for a character before, and I love the idea of continuing it because it really does work! You smell it, and you remember who you are in that moment. So I think it's something I'm going to continue.

Your work often explores ambition, vulnerability and self-belief. What does confidence mean to you now compared to earlier in your career?

Confidence to me now is really feeling good in your own skin. It shouldn't be focused on your physical confidence, because inside you can still feel insecure and all those things. So for me, feeling confident in my choices and in my own skin, without anyone else's opinions, is the most important type of confidence - and then that will manifest in all aspects of your life, in ways that you wouldn't expect. I think I focused too much on physical confidence as opposed to emotional confidence, and now, as an adult - or as an older adult - it's all for me about the inner confidence.

What drew you to working with Maison Perrier?

I spend so much time in France, and nothing screams France more than Perrier. Flavoured sparkling water and Maison Perrier is just so understatedly chic, which is what I love about it. For me, I grew up never needing alcohol to have fun - I really was the first kid on the dance floor just because I wanted to dance! I wanted to have fun, I wanted to be with my friends. So the idea that with the Maison Perrier Chic range, it's really about sobriety being cool - you can be the life of the party and be the best version of yourself without needing to drink. I think is an amazing message - so it's the perfect partnership.

How has motherhood shifted the way you think about time, and how do you recharge?

I think motherhood has completely shifted my opinion on time in that it's so precious, and I want to be able to spend as much time as I possibly can with [my daughter]... the things that were important to me before her may not take priority anymore, and that's okay. We shift and change through life, and you can still find something important to you. But now there's something greater than you, and I think it's been amazing to reprioritise what time means for me.

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