Marvel Cinematic Universe star Evangeline Lilly has publicly revealed she is suffering from brain damage following a severe accident that occurred last year.
A Traumatic Fall in Hawaii
The 46-year-old actress, best known for playing Hope Van Dyne, also known as The Wasp, in the Ant-Man films, shared the news in a candid video posted to Instagram on the evening of Thursday, January 1, 2026. Lilly explained that the diagnosis stems from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) sustained during a trip to Hawaii in 2025.
During that fateful return visit to the islands, where she once filmed the hit series Lost, Lilly suddenly fainted. She fell headfirst onto a boulder, resulting in significant facial bruising and scarring. While she shared pictures of her physical injuries in May 2025, the full neurological impact has only now become clear.
Scan Results and a New Reality
In her emotional New Year update, Lilly addressed her fans' concerns about a recent brain scan. The results were stark. "Almost every area in my brain is functioning at a decreased capacity," the actress stated. She confirmed, "I do have brain damage from the TBI and possibly other factors going on."
Lilly, who also starred as Tauriel in The Hobbit trilogy, described her current mission as working with doctors to understand the full extent of the damage before embarking on the "hard work" of rehabilitation. She admitted to not looking forward to the process but acknowledged a silver lining: the forced slowdown has been a lesson in rest.
Finding Gratitude Amidst Recovery
Despite the challenging diagnosis, the Canadian-born star struck a note of resilience and thankfulness. She reflected that her cognitive decline, while serious, led to "the most restful Christmas holiday" she's had in 14 years since becoming a mother.
"I'm still feeling extraordinarily grateful and blessed to be able to play for one more day, one more year on this beautiful living planet," Lilly concluded her message. The actress has a history of fainting spells since childhood, a factor that contributed to the 2025 incident which forced her to cancel several media appearances at the time.
Her career-defining role as Kate Austen on the iconic TV show Lost earned her a Golden Globe nomination, paving the way for her entry into the blockbuster Marvel universe.
