Lily Collins Just Made Some Super Rare Comments About Her Experience Filming “The Blind Side,” And Sandra Bullock Sounds Just As Wonderful As You’d Hope

“It made such an impact on me as my first experience to have this amazing, strong, kind female lead the way,” Lily said of Sandra.

By
Stephanie Soteriou
by Stephanie Soteriou

BuzzFeed Staff

Lily Collins is currently working the promo circuit for the newly released fourth season of the Netflix series Emily in Paris, in which she plays the titular character.

Lily Collins poses at an event wearing a strapless black sequined dress, diamond earrings, and a sleek bob hairstyle
Gilbert Flores / Variety via Getty Images

But in one of her recent interviews, the 35-year-old star reflected on the project that arguably launched her career back in 2009: The Blind Side.

THE BLIND SIDE, clockwise from far left: Tim McGraw, Lily Collins, Quinton Aaron, Sandra Bullock, Jae Head
Ralph Nelson/©Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection

While Lily, who is the daughter of British musician Phil Collins, first started acting at the age of 2 with a role in the BBC sitcom Growing Pains, The Blind Side was her first ever movie — and she has now praised her costar Sandra Bullock for taking her "under her wing."

Lily Collins, Sandra Bullock, pose together at an event. Sandra wears a black dress, Lily wears a patterned dress, and Collins wears a dress
Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images

Lily was in her late teens when she started working on the movie, which was inspired by the real-life story of Michael Oher, a retired NFL player. 


The Academy Award-winning film depicts Michael’s journey from being a Black teenager experiencing homelessness to a renowned football star after he was adopted by a wealthy white family, the Tuohys, in Tennessee in 2004. 


Last year, Oher filed a lawsuit against the Tuohys alleging that the family have exploited him by using his name, image, and likeness for financial gain since 2004. He also alleged that the Tuohys lied about adopting him, and gave him paperwork that made them his conservators after he turned 18.


Sandra won a Best Actress Oscar, Golden Globe, and SAG award for her performance as family matriarch Leigh Anne Tuohy in The Blind Side, and Lily played Leigh Anne’s daughter, Collins Tuohy.


And in an interview with Sky News, Lily immediately thought of Sandra after more generally discussing established actors who are “the kindest, most kickass, badass female as well.”

“Was there a person that was that guiding light when you were first starting out as an actor?” the star was asked, prompting Lily to admit that she feels “very, very lucky” for the experience she had when she “first started out.”

Nick Saban talks to Tim McGraw, Lily Collins, and Sandra Bullock in a hallway. Tim wears a polo shirt, Lily a patterned dress, and Sandra a cardigan and top
Ralph Nelson/©Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection

“My first film, I was mothered by Sandra Bullock,” Lily then explained. “She really took me under her wing during that experience and showed me the ropes.”


"Even when she didn't know she was teaching me, she was teaching me because I would watch her on set,” she went on. 


“Just the way that she spoke to everyone, treated everyone, the questions she asked, and how she just valued her character in ways that I didn't know going into it that you can value,” Lily further clarified. “Or things that you can ask, or the right that you have to, you know, bring your own ideas."

Lily then revealed that she stayed in touch with Sandra after filming wrapped as she reflected on how much she valued seeing a strong woman take control on her first-ever movie set.

Sandra Bullock attends an event, wearing a stylish dark blazer with pink and purple accents, and her hair is styled in loose waves
Karwai Tang / WireImage

“I just really appreciated and respected the way that she handled the set and herself and we stayed in touch,” Lily said. “And it made such an impact on me as my first experience to have this amazing, strong, kind female lead the way."


While The Blind Side marked Lily’s introduction into Hollywood in 2009, it was released at the height of Sandra’s glittering career. 


The 60-year-old star made her acting debut in the 1987 movie Hangmen and gained global recognition in the ‘90s with movies such as Speed and A Time to Kill.


Her subsequent films include Miss Congeniality and Two Weeks Notice, and in both 2010 and 2014, Sandra was the world’s highest-paid actress. 


Also in 2010, Sandra was named one of Time’s 100 most influential people in the world.


Meanwhile, Lily's career has gone from strength to strength in recent years, with roles in Love, Rosie and Inheritance.

Topics in this article

Comments
Skip to footer