Recent and archive images of Lily Collins posing for portraits as she promotes her films. Once an aspiring reporter, actress Collins has swapped journalism for Hollywood, as she prepares to step into the spotlight with her biggest role to date: playing a heroine in a young adult franchise.

Collins, 24, the daughter of British singer Phil Collins, studied journalism at the University of Southern California but has been displaying her acting chops with films such as 2009's "The Blind Side" and 2012's "Mirror Mirror."

The actress takes a leading role as Clary Fray in the film adaptation of "City of Bones," in theaters on Wednesday, the first book in Cassandra Clare's "The Mortal Instruments" young adult series. The film is set in present day Brooklyn, where Clary discovers a hidden fantasy world that changes her life.