Charlie McDowell is quick to defend his and wife Lily Collins' decision to use a surrogate to carry their first child amid criticism after announcing the birth of their baby.
- February 2, 2025
AceShowbiz - Congratulations are in order for Lily Collins and husband Charlie McDowell. The couple has welcomed their first child, a daughter named Tove Jane McDowell.
The "Emily in Paris" actress announced the happy news on Instagram, sharing a heartwarming photo of their newborn nestled in a bassinet. She confirmed the baby was born via surrogacy.
"Welcome to the center of our world Tove Jane McDowell," the couple wrote in a joint post. "Words will never express our endless gratitude for our incredible surrogate and everyone who helped us along the way. We love you to the moon and back again."
The happy news was met with an outpouring of love from their celebrity friends. Amanda Seyfried and Billie Lourd were among the first to congratulate the couple.
Collins's husband McDowell thanked fans and friends for their support, "Thank you for all the kind messages and love. We are overjoyed and very grateful."
He proceeded to address criticism over their decision to use surrogate, "In regards to the unkind messages about surrogacy and our path to having a baby - it's ok to not be an expert on surrogacy. It's ok to not know why someone might need a surrogate to have a child. It's ok to not know the motivations of a surrogate regardless of what you assume."
"And it's ok to spend less time spewing hateful words into the world, especially in regards to a beautiful baby girl who has brought a lot of love into people's lives," he went on before concluding, "That's all for now because she just pooped and I need to change her diaper."
Lily Collins, 35, is the daughter of legendary musician Phil Collins while Charlie McDowell, 41, is the son of actor Malcolm McDowell and actress Mary Steenburgen. They tied the knot in September 2021 after a year of engagement.
