Marvel Star Says Brain Function Reduced After Serious 2025 Fall

Evangeline Lilly has revealed that she suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2025 following an accident while vacationing in Hawaii, sharing that medical scans show reduced function across much of her brain.

Lilly, best known for portraying Hope van Dyne — the Wasp — in Marvel’s Ant-Man franchise, disclosed the extent of her injury in an Instagram video posted on New Year’s Day. Her comments followed months of questions from fans after she previously confirmed a serious fall last year.

The actor said she fainted on a beach in May 2025 and fell headfirst into a boulder, prompting emergency medical treatment and subsequent neurological testing. At the time, she shared details of the incident in a Substack essay.

“At the hospital, the nurses and doctor went straight into action, more determined to find the cause of my blackout than to stitch up the hole punctured into my face by the rock,” Lilly wrote.

While the initial focus was on determining the cause of her blackout, Lilly later underwent a brain scan that revealed lasting effects from the injury.

 

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“A lot of you have asked how I’m doing,” Lilly said in her New Year’s Day video. “A lot of you have inquired about the brain scan that you heard I got. The results came back from the scan, and almost every area in my brain is functioning at a decreased capacity.”

She added, “I do have brain damage from the TBI (traumatic brain injury) and possibly other factors going on. My job now is to get to the bottom of that with my doctors.”

Details of the Injury and Recovery

Lilly described the injury as life-altering, saying it has forced her to slow down significantly. She noted that the most recent holiday season was markedly different from previous years.

She said it was “the most restful Christmas” she had experienced since the births of her two sons in 2011 and 2015.

“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 said. “So, that is my concussion update. Thank you all for caring.”

The disclosure comes after Lilly publicly stepped away from acting in 2024. At the time, she said the decision was not related to health concerns and emphasized that she felt fulfilled focusing on family life, writing, and humanitarian work.

Her comments about the injury now provide additional context for that hiatus, though Lilly has not linked the two decisions directly.

Impact on Her Career and Public Response

Lilly’s most recent Marvel appearance was in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023). The film grossed $476.1 million worldwide and received mixed to negative reviews thanks to its effects, writing, and tone, earning a 46% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.

In 2024, Lilly told Variety that she was no longer under contract with Marvel Studios and had already been on hiatus from acting for three years.

“I could return tomorrow, two years from now or never,” she said. “At the moment I am not actively pursuing any work in the industry and am not under any contractual obligations to anybody.”

Support from Lilly’s Marvel colleagues followed her health update. Michelle Pfeiffer, who portrayed Janet van Dyne in the Ant-Man films, commented on Lilly’s post, writing, “You are a warrior. Nothing — not even this will defeat you my friend.”

David Dastmalchian, who played Kurt in the Ant-Man franchise, also left a message of support.

Lilly isn’t the first Marvel star who’s experienced a potentially life-changing accident. Jeremy Renner, who plays Hawkeye/Clint Barton, spent much of 2023 recovering from a life-threatening snowplow accident that left him with multiple broken bones and required extensive rehabilitation.

For now, Lilly has not indicated whether she plans to return to acting. Her recent statements have focused on medical evaluation and recovery rather than professional plans.

Before joining Marvel, Lilly was widely known for her role as Kate Austen on the sci-fi series Lost, as well as Tauriel in The Hobbit. Her latest update suggests her priorities remain centered on health and family as she continues working with doctors to understand the full scope of her injury.

Would you like to see Evangeline Lilly back as Hope van Dyne?