Lily Collins, Star of Emily In Paris, Welcomes First Child via Surrogacy

English-American actress Lily Collins, best known for her role in the hit Netflix series Emily In Paris (2020–present), has become ...

English-American actress Lily Collins, best known for her role in the hit Netflix series Emily In Paris (2020–present), has become a first-time mother. The 35-year-old actress and her husband, American film director and writer Charlie McDowell, welcomed their baby girl, Tove Jane McDowell, via surrogacy. Collins shared the joyful news on Instagram on February 1, posting a heartfelt message alongside a photo of their newborn.

In her caption, Collins expressed her gratitude, writing, “Welcome to the centre of our world, Tove Jane McDowell. Words will never express our endless gratitude for our incredible surrogate and everyone who helped us along the way. We love you to the moon and back again.” Details about the baby, including her birth date, were not disclosed.

Collins, the daughter of English musician Phil Collins, met McDowell, 41, on the set of the yet-to-be-released film Gilded Rage in 2019. The couple got engaged in 2020 and married in 2021.

While the announcement was met with an outpouring of congratulations, it also sparked criticism from some netizens who questioned the couple’s decision to use surrogacy. Comments ranged from calling surrogacy “exploitation of poor women” to labeling it as unethical.

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McDowell responded to the criticism in a comment under the post, defending their choice: “In regards to the unkind messages about surrogacy and our path to having a baby – it’s okay to not be an expert on surrogacy. It’s okay to not know why someone might need a surrogate to have a child. It’s okay to not know the motivations of a surrogate regardless of what you assume. And it’s okay to spend less time spewing hateful words into the world, especially in regards to a beautiful baby girl who has brought a lot of love into people’s lives.”

Surrogacy is a common choice among Hollywood celebrities, with figures like Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Nick Jonas, and Priyanka Chopra having also opted for this path to parenthood.