‘You’re only in for a Golden Globe because you’re white and Phil Collins belongs to your father’: Lily Collins, star of Emily in Paris, caught in a racing hate storm with furious fans of the disapproved I May Destroy You actress Michaela Coel
- Lily Collins has been targeted by online trolls after being nominated for a Golden Globe
- Trolls believed that Michaela Coel of I May Destroy You was mistakenly overlooked
- Trolls claim that Lily Collins was picked because she was white and Phil Collins’s daughter
Emily In Paris star Lily Collins finds herself in the midst of a racing storm after being nominated for a prestigious Golden Globe award for a black actress.
The 31-year-old was the target of online trolls who felt that Michaela Coel had been unfairly overlooked for her role in the groundbreaking BBC drama I May Destroy You.
In a barrage of social media posts, they claimed that Ms. Collins was shortlisted for being white, while Ms. Coel missed it because she is black. Cyber bullies also claimed that Ms. Collins was nominated simply because she has a famous father – pop star Phil Collins.
Netflix’s Emily In Paris is also up for best comedy series, but the critically acclaimed I May Destroy You has not received any nominations. Within minutes of the Hollywood shortlists being revealed on Wednesday, Twitter users were reporting racism. One wrote, “If you think white supremacy isn’t real, Emily In Paris will be nominated for a Golden Globe.”
Emily In Paris star Lily Collins (pictured) found herself in the middle of a racing storm after being nominated for a prestigious Golden Globe award for a black actress
Another said, “What people don’t understand about racism is that it’s not a byproduct. The globe panel didn’t nominate I May Destroy You because they thought it wasn’t right because Michaela is black and thought Emily In Paris was good because Lily Collins is white. They KNOW which was better! ‘
And another added that “the fact that Lily Collins is here is pure nepotism and racism.” One even scandalized the false claim that Mrs. Collins paid for her appointment.
Mrs. Collins has previously acknowledged her privilege. Amid protests over George Floyd’s death after he was stopped by police in Minneapolis last year, she wrote, “I’m white, I’m privileged. I will never experience what black people in America go through every day, but I listen and I learn. I am marching with you and will fight with you. ‘
She is also a celebrity ambassador for Bystander Revolution, the anti-bullying organization founded by MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
In an irony that may have been lost to the trolls, Ms Collins and Ms Coel would never have competed for the same award anyway, as Emily In Paris qualifies in the musical or comedy categories, while I May Destroy You falls under the drama section .
Cyber bullies also claimed Ms. Collins was nominated simply because she has a famous father – pop star Phil Collins (pictured)
Meanwhile, Emily In Paris writer Deborah Copaken inadvertently sparked backlash against the star of her own show when she also took to Twitter to share her own shock at Ms. Coel’s failure to land a nomination.
She turned to the actress and said, ‘I was a writer on Emily In Paris, but your show has been my favorite show since the beginning of TV and this is just wrong. I loved I May Destroy You, and I personally thank you for giving me your heart, your mind, your resilience, and your humor. ‘
Hailed by some as the natural successor to Sex And The City, the ten-part Emily In Paris features an American who moves to the French capital to work for a marketing company.
It has been criticized for its lack of authenticity, but has become one of Netflix’s biggest hits.
… AND THE STAR THEY BELIEVED WAS SHUN
Michaela Coel shot to international fame with her portrayal of Arabella, a young woman who wants to rebuild her life after being raped, in the BBC1 series I May Destroy You.
The 33-year-old actress not only starred in the drama, but created it, wrote the script and co-directed it. She was also an executive producer.
Born to Ghanaian parents in London, she has spoken about how isolation in primary school prompted her to bully some of her peers and how she still experiences racism in the UK. After college, she enrolled in the Guildhall School of Music and Drama after winning a scholarship.
Before I get to destroy you, she created and starred in the E4 comedy Chewing Gum, winning a Bafta for her performance.
She was included in Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020 and appeared in British Vogue’s list of influential women the same year.
Last year, she was among more than 3,500 film and TV professionals who signed an open letter demanding an end to ‘systemic racism’ in the industry.
Michaela Coel (pictured) gained international fame with her portrayal of Arabella, a young woman who wants to rebuild her life after being raped, in the BBC1 series I May Destroy You