[1] Born and raised largely in Vancouver, British Columbia, Collins studied at the Vancouver Youth Theatre, and later at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.
She was named Canada's "Best Leading Actress" at the age of 22 for her work on the television series Madison.
In 2009, she co-founded StoryLab Productions and produced the award-winning feature film Becoming Redwood.
[5] Collins married Dutch-born Stefan Buitelaar on August 23, 2008, in Leiden, Netherlands.
[6] On October 26, 2009, Collins gave birth to their daughter, Zoë Amelie.