Lily Collins’ Brother Nic Expresses Pride in Being Baby Tove’s Uncle
Nic Collins and Lily Collins Courtesy of Lily Collins/Instagram
Drummer Nic Collins is excited to embrace his new role as uncle to sister Lily Collins’s baby girl.
“Welcome to the world, Tove,” Nic, 23, shared on Instagram Story on Friday, January 31. “[I’m] already so proud to be your uncle.”
He also wrote, “Congratulations @lilyjcollins & @charliemcdowell. Love you guys.”
Grammy winner Phil Collins has five children — sharing Joely and Simon with Andrea Bertorelli, daughter Lily with Jill Tavelman, and sons Nic and Matthew with Orianne Cevey.
Phil, 74, has recently become a grandfather for the second time — his daughter Joely became a parent in 2009 — after Lily, 35, and husband Charlie McDowell welcomed their daughter Tove Jane via surrogate.
“Welcome to the center of our world,” wrote the Emily in Paris star alongside McDowell, 41, on their joint Instagram announcement on Friday. “Words can’t convey our endless gratitude for our incredible surrogate and everyone who supported us along the journey. We love you to the moon and back.”
The new parents also shared a photo of their baby girl in a personalized sweater, peacefully sleeping in her bassinet.
Nic Collins and Lily Collins Courtesy of Lily Collins/Instagram
Later, McDowell addressed the couple’s choice to have their first baby through a gestational carrier.
“Thank you for all the kind messages and love. We are overjoyed and very grateful,” he stated in an Instagram comment. “As for the unkind messages regarding surrogacy and our journey to parenthood — it’s perfectly fine not to be an expert on this topic.”
McDowell went on, “It’s okay to not understand why someone may need a surrogate. It’s okay to be unaware of a surrogate’s motivations, regardless of your assumptions. And it’s okay to refrain from spreading negativity, especially concerning a beautiful baby girl who has filled many lives with love. That’s all for now because she just pooped, and I need to change her diaper.”
Lily and McDowell, who is the son of actress Mary Steenburgen, have been together since 2019 and married in September 2021. McDowell directed Lily in the 2022 film Windfall.
“Strangely, there were times I forgot we were together because of how he directs — he’s such a communicative and collaborative director focused on how the actor feels and grounding it in authenticity while making you feel incredibly safe during vulnerable moments,” she shared on CBS Mornings in March 2022. “That’s the kind of environment you want from a life partner and also from a director.”
Lily added, “He treats everyone equally, and with such a small cast, we shared an intimate, collaborative experience that at times made me forget it was my Charlie as opposed to Charlie-my-director. It was just so much fun.”
