Phil Collins

Phil Collins is a Grammy-winning musician and actor. After being gifted a toy drum kit as a child, Collins found himself completely infatuated with music and learned both piano and drums. He formed multiple bands as a teenager and later went on to study acting.

Collins landed a number of early acting roles, including an uncredited role as an extra in the Beatles’ movie A Hard Day’s Night (1964). He made the decision to pivot to music a few years later.

As an early career musician, Collins toured with Cliff Charles Blues Band before briefly joining The Gladiators. The musician later found a home with rock band Hickory (later renamed Flaming Youth) in 1969, but the group split the following year.

Collins ruled the music scene in the ‘70s and ‘80s. He auditioned to be lead drummer for the rock group Genesis and became their frontman in 1978 after Peter Gabriel’s exit. In their time together, the group released numerous chart-toppers, including 1978’s “Follow You Follow Me.”

In his time as a musician, Collins has explored a solo career and has penned songs for movie soundtracks such as Against All Odds (1984), which won him his first Grammy. In 1999, he brought an Oscar home with his original song “You’ll Be in My Heart” from Disney’s Tarzan. After taking a hiatus from music, Collins participated in a Genesis reunion tour in 2007; the musician played intermittently until Genesis’ final show in March 2022.

Collins has been open about his health struggles. He suffered a spinal injury in 2007 that resulted in nerve damage and has chronic neck pain, making it painful for him to play instruments.

The drummer was married to Andrea Bertorelli from 1975 to 1980. Collins legally adopted Bertorelli’s daughter, Joley, from a previous marriage, and the two share a son, Simon.

Collins wed Jill Tavelman in 1984, and the pair share daughter Lily Collins. The two finalized their split in 1996.

He tied the knot with Orianne Cevey in 1999, and the couple share sons Nicholas and Matthew. They divorced in 2008.