Lily Allen's Mom Recalls Worrying Fame Would 'Destroy' Her Daughter Similarly to Amy Winehouse
Both stars debuted in the 2000s, worked with producer Mark Ronson and were nominated in the same categories at various awards shows
Lily Allen's mother used to worry her daughter would have meet a similar fate as Amy Winehouse.
The "F--- You" singer's mom, Alison Owen, is a producer on the upcoming Winehouse biopic Back to Black, and she reflected in a new interview with The Times about witnessing both British musicians endure parallel difficulties in the spotlight.
Owen, 63, recalled thinking intense fame and attention "would destroy my daughter" and lead her down a path similar to Winehouse, who died in 2011 at age 27 from accidental alcohol poisoning.
Related: Lily Allen Reflects on Pre-Sobriety Drug and Alcohol Use and Says Fame 'Was an Addiction in Itself'
"Lily fitted the bill because, early in her success, her role model was her dad," said the film producer, referencing actor Keith Allen, who's spoken about his partying habits in the past.
"She’d seen him idolized for swearing, taking drugs and being drunk in the Groucho Club, so in her young brain she thought that’s what you did when you became famous," explained Owen of Lily, who's been open about her own experiences with substance use. "She didn’t realize it’s only OK for men. Women get punished for it."
At the height of Lily's fame, her mom recalled, paparazzi "would wait for her and then say things like, ‘I see your single’s going down the charts,’ or, ‘You’ve put on weight, Lily,’ and hope to make her angry or cry."
Related: Back to Black Full Trailer: Industry Star Marisa Abela Portrays Amy Winehouse's Tragic Downfall
Lily and Winehouse both debuted in the 2000s, worked with producer Mark Ronson and found themselves nominated in the same categories at various awards shows.
Elsewhere in the interview with The Times, Owen spoke about feeling disturbed after witnessing Winehouse and her then-partner, Blake Fielder-Civil, at a music industry party.
"Amy was as thin as a pencil," she said. "And she and Blake were in the middle of this room dancing in a full-on sexual way. Both were clearly ‘using’ and I remember thinking, ‘This is an accident waiting to happen. This is going to be a disaster.’"
Related: Lily Allen Reflects on Pre-Sobriety Drug and Alcohol Use and Says Fame 'Was an Addiction in Itself'
While Winehouse's life came to an early end, Lily has now been sober for four years. She's married to actor David Harbour and has taken a step back from music as she raises her daughters, 12-year-old Ethel and 10-year-old Marnie, from her first marriage to Sam Cooper.
"Lily was lucky," added Owen. "She’s happy bringing up her children."
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In an interview with The New York Times last year, Lily opened up about her years of drug and alcohol use and explained how it went hand in hand with her relationship to fame and success.
"It’s not a very nice feeling," she said of getting followed by U.K. paparazzi to the point of seeking legal protection in 2009. "Especially when you’re in your early 20s, and you’re still trying to figure out who you are in the world."
"From 18 to about four or five years ago just feels like a bit of a haze, because I was literally just off my face the whole time," recalled Lily. "I was using fame as well — that was an addiction in itself: the attention and the paparazzi and the chaos."
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
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