You’ve seen it. That specific, elfin face. The eyebrows that basically have their own zip code. The way a simple black turtleneck suddenly looks like high art. For years, the internet has been obsessed with the idea that Lily Collins is the modern-day reincarnation of Audrey Hepburn.
It’s not just a passing comment on a red carpet anymore. It’s a full-blown cultural thing.
But look, are they actually similar, or is it just really good marketing and a shared love for Givenchy-style silhouettes? Honestly, the deeper you go into the history of both women, the more you realize that while the "twin" narrative is fun for a headline, the reality is way more complicated. People get genuinely heated about this.
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The Eyebrow Obsession and the DNA Myth
Let's clear one thing up right now: they aren't related. Not even a little bit.
Lily Collins is the daughter of British rock legend Phil Collins and American Jill Tavelman. Audrey Hepburn was born in Belgium to a Dutch baroness and an English businessman. Zero shared bloodline. Yet, if you look at a still from Mirror Mirror (2012) next to a shot of Audrey in Sabrina, the resemblance is kinda spooky.
Robbie Collin from The Daily Telegraph famously described Lily’s face as "Audrey Hepburn with the eyebrows of Liam Gallagher." It’s a hilarious mental image, but it’s also the most accurate description of why Lily stands out.
Audrey's brows were a revolution in the 1950s. Back then, the look was all about the "plucked into oblivion" arch. Audrey came along with these thick, straight, boyish brows and changed the game. Lily did the same thing in the early 2010s during the height of the "pencil-thin" brow era. She literally wrote about her struggle with her "bold" features in her book Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me. She hated them as a kid. Now? They’re her trademark.
The Emily in Paris Connection
If people were whispering about the resemblance before, Emily in Paris turned those whispers into a megaphone.
Season 4 was basically an Audrey Hepburn Easter egg hunt. Remember the ski trip? That wasn't just a cute winter outfit. It was a direct, frame-by-frame homage to Audrey’s character, Regina Lampert, in the 1963 thriller Charade. Costume designer Marylin Fitoussi actually went and found a reproduction of the original Pierre Marly sunglasses Audrey wore in that movie.
Lily reportedly got "goosebumps" when she tried them on. I mean, can you blame her?
Then there was the Roman Holiday of it all. In the later episodes of Season 4, Emily Cooper literally hops on the back of a Vespa in Rome, wearing a necktie and a Fifties-style skirt. It’s a love letter to the 1953 film that won Audrey her Oscar.
Critics sometimes call it a "pastiche," which is a fancy way of saying it feels like a copy. But for a lot of fans, it’s just fun. It’s a way to keep that old-school Hollywood glamour alive in a world that’s mostly sweatpants and influencers.
Times Lily Collins Channeled Audrey on Screen:
- The Masquerade Ball: In Emily in Paris, she wore a striped jumpsuit and a massive hat that screamed My Fair Lady.
- The Pixie Cut: Lily’s recent hair evolution mirrors Audrey’s famous chop in the middle of Roman Holiday.
- The Givenchy Vibe: Both women have a long-standing relationship with luxury houses that favor "architectural" elegance over "sexy" flash.
Why Some Fans Find the Comparison Annoying
Not everyone is buying the "Next Audrey" hype. If you hang out on Reddit or in old cinema forums, you’ll find plenty of people who think the comparison is actually kinda disrespectful.
The argument usually goes like this: Audrey Hepburn wasn't just a "look." She was a survivor. She lived through the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, suffered from malnutrition, and helped the Dutch resistance. That life experience gave her this specific, "ethereal-yet-haunted" quality that you just can't manufacture with a good makeup artist.
Also, let’s talk about the acting. Audrey had this European aloofness mixed with a weird, clumsy charm. Lily, despite being half-British, has a very "overeager American" energy (especially in the Emily Cooper role).
Some fans feel Lily tries too hard to lean into the Audrey aesthetic. They see the photoshoots and the constant tributes as a "please cast me in the biopic" audition.
The Biopic Drama: Who Actually Gets to Play Her?
This is where it gets spicy. For years, Lily Collins was the "fancast" choice to play Audrey in a movie. It seemed like a slam dunk.
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Then, the news broke. Apple is making an Audrey Hepburn biopic, but Lily isn't the lead. Instead, they cast Rooney Mara, with Luca Guadagnino (the guy who did Call Me By Your Name) directing.
Wait, it gets better. There's another project called Dinner with Audrey, and that one recently cast Thomasin McKenzie.
So, despite the "uncanny" resemblance, the big Hollywood directors aren't necessarily picking the lookalike. They’re picking people who might capture the "essence" rather than the exact face. It’s a bummer for Lily fans, but it also shows that being an icon is about more than just having the right eyebrows.
What You Can Actually Learn from Their Style
Whether you think Lily is the second coming of Audrey or just a very talented actress who happens to have a "type," there’s a reason this look is timeless. It’s about intentionality.
Both women understood their proportions. Audrey knew she was too tall for traditional ballet, so she used that "length" to make simple clothes look regal. Lily knows her brows are "heavy," so she keeps the rest of her makeup minimal to balance it out.
If you’re trying to channel that vibe, don’t just copy an outfit. Look at how they handle "negative space" in their fashion—simple colors, clean lines, and one standout feature.
Moving Forward with the Legacy
Audrey Hepburn’s real legacy wasn't Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It was her work with UNICEF. She spent her final years in some of the most dangerous places on earth, trying to save kids from the same hunger she experienced as a girl.
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Lily has started to carve out her own path, too. She’s been very open about her struggles with eating disorders and has used her platform to talk about mental health in a way that’s actually helpful, not just "celebrity-speak."
Next time you see a side-by-side photo of them, remember: the face is the hook, but the work is what keeps them relevant.
What you can do next: If you’re a fan of the aesthetic, go back and watch Charade or Funny Face. Don't just look at the clothes—watch the movement. Then, check out Lily’s more dramatic work in To the Bone or Mank to see her range beyond the "Parisian" caricature. It’ll give you a much better appreciation for why they’re both stars in their own right.