The 'Happiest Season' actress reveals in a talk show interview that her writer/director son, Charlie McDowell, told family members exactly when and how he would be popping the question.

• Jan 6, 2021

AceShowbiz - Actress Mary Steenburgen was a nervous wreck the day her son asked Lily Collins to be his wife - and so relieved when the "Emily In Paris" star said yes.

Writer/director Charlie McDowell, whose parents are Mary and British acting veteran Malcolm McDowell, decided to propose to Phil Collins' actress daughter during a road trip through New Mexico after telling his family members exactly when and how he would be popping the question.

"We knew what day it (the proposal) was going to be and what time it was going to be," Steenburgen told Kelly Clarkson on her U.S. daytime talk show. "They (Charlie and Lily) were on a trip in New Mexico and we were all sort of holding our breath, and so excited when he sent the video to all of us that she said yes and they were engaged (sic)."

And the "Book Club" star, who is married to "The Good Place"'s Ted Danson, is thrilled to welcome Lily to the family.

"She's a spectacular human being," she gushed. "She's so gorgeous but she's even more gorgeous on the inside."

"She's just a dream and she and her mama have all come round to our crazy, big, beautiful, noisy family that has tons of dogs and little kids. You know, it's been a strange time of coming together and being careful (because of COVID) but it's really important to us to be safe and to try to experience family, so that's what we've been trying to do."