Lily Collins’ striking resemblance to Audrey Hepburn has sparked rumors that they are related and that Collins will play Hepburn in a biopic.

A composite image of Audrey Hepburn and Lily Collins

Lily Collins‘ striking resemblance to Hollywood legend Audrey Hepburn has sparked rumors that they are actually related and that Collins will play her iconic doppelganger in a biopic. The British/American actress had her big break in 2009’s The Blind Side, and followed it up with a slew of major films such as Mirror Mirror and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. Collins’ early success in blockbusters was supplemented by critical attention for her more dramatic performances in movies like To the Bone, which showed her vulnerable side.

British actress Audrey Hepburn was one of the screen’s brightest stars throughout the 1950s and ’60s, and her hit films like Roman Holiday are a beloved part of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Besides her stellar performances and extensive humanitarian pursuits, Hepburn is perhaps best known for sporting some of the most iconic dresses in film history, and her fashion continues to inspire to this day. Audrey Hepburn’s career set the stage for many young stars to follow in her footsteps, and Hepburn’s popularity has continued through actors like Lily Collins who carry the torch for old-school glamour.

Lily Collins as Emily in Emily in Paris season 3

Since breaking into the business, it had always been speculated that Lily Collins was related to Audrey Hepburn because of how much the two look alike, but they are of no known relation. Though Collins is not related to the classic Hollywood icon, she is the daughter of rock star Phil Collins, which allowed her to grow up around show business. While the Hepburn relation rumors are untrue, Collins has done nothing to distance herself from Hepburn, and she often mimics her fashion sense in both dress and makeup styling. Considering how popular Hepburn continues to be, Collins offers a modern-day alternative to the Breakfast at Tiffany’s star.

Ironically, Collins often plays characters that are similar to the most noteworthy roles of Hepburn’s career, and Collins’ turn in the Netflix series Emily in Paris added even more fuel to the rumors. In the series, Collins plays Emily Cooper, a plucky marketing executive who is given the chance to move to Paris to help a struggling firm. Though critics misunderstood Emily in Paris, the hit streaming series hearkens back to classic Hollywood films of the ’50s and ’60s and allowed Collins to show off her Hepburn-like glamour. Interestingly, Collins’ Emily Cooper is very much like Hepburn’s precocious Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s in both fashion and personality.

Lily Collins Will Not Play Audrey Hepburn In The Upcoming Biopic

Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's

Lily Collins’ resemblance to Audrey Hepburn not only sparked rumors that they were related but inspired many to see her as the front-runner to play Hepburn in a biopic. Despite Collins’ resemblance, it was announced in early 2023 that Apple was developing an Audrey Hepburn biographical movie starring Rooney Mara in the lead role (via Vogue). Call Me by Your Name director Luca Guadagnino is attached to helm the project, though little else has been revealed about what aspects of Hepburn’s life the film will cover.

Though Lily Collins won’t be playing Audrey Hepburn any time soon, her acting career has flourished even more in recent years including in roles outside of her comfort zone. Besides her continued success in the starring role on Emily in Paris, Collins was also tapped to star in the Ti West horror film MaXXXine which will finish out the trilogy started by X and continued in Pearl. Lily Collins may not play Audrey Hepburn on screen, but it is almost certain that she will continue to serve Hepburn-inspired looks on the red carpet which will keep the screen legend’s memory alive for years to come.