Lilly was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to a Japanese mother and an American father who served in the U.S. Navy. As a Navy brat, she lived in Japan until the age of 7 and eventually settled in Long Beach, California. She studied Sociology at San Diego State and had a steady corporate career in the TV industry. After years of playing it safe, she decided to step out and follow her passion for acting. Her other loves include golf, travel, photography and jazz.