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Lily Collins Never Asked Her Dad, Phil Collins, for Help in Hollywood

Lily Collins Never Asked Her Dad, Phil Collins, for Help in Hollywood
Lily Collins talks about her dad, rocker Phil Collins, in the July issue of Glamour magazine. Dave Allocca/Starpix/Shutterstock

No special treatment here! Lily Collins appears on the July issue cover of Glamour magazine and opened up about getting “accepted” into Hollywood — all without the help of her very well-connected, mega-successful father, singer-songwriter Phil Collins.

“I always wanted to do it on my own,” the 24-year-old explained. “I never wanted anyone making phone calls. A name can open doors, but there’s a quote I like: ‘Personality can open doors, but only character can keep them open.'”

Related: PHOTOS: Wow! Look into Phil's crazy-expensive divorce

In fact, Collins, who next stars in the July 5 film, Stuck In Love alongside Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connelly and Kristen Bell, says she had to fight for the role in the romantic comedy.

“It’s my most meaningful project so far,” she told the mag. “I fought for the role for seven months. I read the script and thought, ‘No one but me can play this.’ Samantha is promiscuous, cynical, sarcastic — qualities that are not me, but fun to channel.”

In a previous interview with Access Hollywood, the actress explained that her father, the 62-year-old “Against All Odds” singer and former Genesis frontman, has certainly supported her career from the sidelines.

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Lily Collins Never Asked Her Dad, Phil Collins, for Help in Hollywood
Phil Collins and wife Jill Tavelman with daughter Lily Collins in 1993. Bei/Shutterstock

“He’s just letting me do my thing as it happens,” she said. “It’s such a different game now, so he’s just seeing his little girl go out and experience it all, and I think to him that’s the most bizarre, but most amazing thing to see.”

She continued, “He always said, ‘If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, you know you’re doing it for the right reason,’ so that’s why I’m doing what I’m doing.”

Indeed, U.K. born Phil reached incredible success during his tenure — selling 150 million-plus records, writing two Walt Disney movie soundtracks, Tarzan and Brother Bear, and winning eight Grammy awards. He was married to Lily’s mother from 1984 to 1996 and also has four other children from two other marriages.

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Although she’s close to her dad, Lily, actually credits her mom, Jill Tavelman, as her mentor.

“It has nothing to do with acting. She guides me through my personal life, telling me to experiment,” she explained in her Glamour interview. “She has always encouraged me to feel like being me is enough. That’s really special, especially in a place like Hollywood. She’s my best friend.”

The July issue of Glamour hits newsstands June 11.

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