‘You only want a Golden Globe because you’re white and your father is Phil Collins’: Emily in Paris, star Lily Collins, caught in a storm of racial hatred with furious fans of the snubbed I May Destroy You actress Michaela Coel
- Lily Collins targeted by online trolls after being nominated for a Golden Globe
- The trolls believed that the Michaela Coel of I May Destroy You was unfairly overlooked
- Trolls claim that Lily Collins was chosen for being white and daughter of Phil Collins
Emily In Paris star Lily Collins found herself in the center of a racing storm after being nominated for a prestigious Golden Globe award in front of a black actress.
The 31-year-old actress was the target of online trolls who thought Michaela Coel had been unfairly overlooked for her role in the groundbreaking BBC drama I May Destroy You.
In a flurry of social media posts, they claimed that Ms. Collins was selected because she is white, while Ms. Coel was left out because she was black. The 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 running for the award for best comedy series, but the acclaimed I May Destroy You has received no nomination. Within minutes of the Hollywood lists being revealed last Wednesday, Twitter users were alleging racism. One wrote: ‘If you don’t think white supremacy is real, Emily In Paris has been nominated for a Golden Globe.’
Emily In Paris star Lily Collins (pictured right) found herself at the center of a race after being nominated for the prestigious Golden Globe in front of a black actress
Another said: ‘What people don’t understand about racism is that it is not a by-product. The globes panel did not indicate I May Destroy You because they didn’t think it was good because Michaela is black and thought Emily In Paris was good because Lily Collins is white. They KNOW what’s best! ‘
And another added that ‘Lily Collins being here is pure nepotism and racism’. One went so far as to make the false claim that Mrs. Collins paid for her appointment.
Mrs. Collins had already recognized her privilege. Amid protests against George Floyd’s death after he was stopped by police in Minneapolis last year, she wrote: ‘I am white, I am privileged. I will never experience what blacks in America go through every day, but I am listening and learning. I marched with you and will fight with you. ‘
She is also a celebrity ambassador for Bystander Revolution, the anti-bullying organization created by MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
In an irony that may have been lost by the trolls, Ms. Collins and Mrs. Coel would never have competed for the same prize, as Emily In Paris is eligible in the musical or comedy categories, while I May Destroy You falls into the drama section.
The cyber-bullies also claimed that Ms. Collins was nominated simply because she has a famous father – pop star Phil Collins (photo)
Meanwhile, Emily In Paris writer Deborah Copaken may have inadvertently fueled the reaction against the star of her own show when she also logged on to Twitter to tell her own shock at Coel’s failure to secure a nomination.
Addressing the actress, she said: ‘I was a writer for Emily In Paris, but her show has been my favorite since the appearance of TV and this is just wrong. I loved I May Destroy You and I personally thank you for giving us your heart, your mind, your resilience and your humor. ‘
The ten-part film Emily In Paris, hailed by some as the natural successor to Sex And The City, features an American woman who moves to the French capital to work for a marketing company.
It was criticized for its lack of authenticity, but it became one of Netflix’s biggest hits.
… AND THE STAR THAT THEY BELIEVE WAS SHUNNED
Michaela Coel achieved international fame with her performance of Arabella, a young woman who seeks to rebuild her life after being raped, in BBC1 series I May Destroy You.
The 33-year-old actress not only starred in the drama, but also created it, wrote the script and co-directed. She was also an executive producer.
The daughter of Ghanaian parents in London, she talked about how isolation in primary school led her to intimidate some of her colleagues and how she still experiences racism in the UK. After university, she enrolled at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, having won a scholarship.
Before I May Destroy You, she created and starred in the comedy E4 Chewing Gum, earning a Bafta for her acting.
She was included in Time 100 Most Influential People of 2020 and appeared on British Vogue’s list of influential women in 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) achieved international fame by playing Arabella, a young woman who seeks to rebuild her life after being raped, in the BBC series I May Destroy You