Lily Collins made a radiant return to the set of Emily in Paris — and this time, she brought along a tiny scene-stealer. The actress surprised cast and crew in Rome with the first on-set appearance of her four-month-old daughter, Tove Jane McDowell, born via surrogacy on January 31.
In heartwarming new photos, the 36-year-old star was seen cradling Tove between takes while filming the upcoming fifth season of the hit Netflix series. Dressed in a blue-and-white floral suit as her character Emily Cooper, Lily looked overjoyed as she introduced her daughter to the team — with fellow star Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu visibly moved by the moment.
Lily’s husband, filmmaker Charlie McDowell, was also on hand, ready with a muslin cloth draped over his shoulder as he supported Lily and their little one during the shoot. The production, though titled Emily in Paris, is currently taking place in Rome as the character navigates a new romantic chapter with her boyfriend Marcello.
Lily first shared news of Tove’s birth on Instagram, calling her “the center of our world,” and expressed deep gratitude to their surrogate. She also recently opened up about how the dream of having a family helped her through past battles with an eating disorder.
Despite online criticism of their decision to use a surrogate, Charlie defended their choice, urging kindness and understanding: “It’s OK to not know why someone might need a surrogate.”
For Lily, motherhood has been nothing short of magical — and it showed, as she glowed with pride while holding baby Tove between scenes, turning a regular filming day into a truly special one.
