Evangeline Lilly, the actress famed for her roles in Marvel's Ant-Man films and the hit series Lost, has delivered a heartbreaking health update, revealing she has been diagnosed with brain damage following a serious accident last year.
A New Year's Revelation
In a candid video posted to Instagram on the first day of 2026, Lilly shared the sobering results of medical scans taken after she suffered a face-first fall in May 2025. The actress explained that the tests confirmed she is suffering the lasting effects of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
"The results came back from the scan, and almost every area in my brain is functioning at a decreased capacity," Lilly told her followers. "I do have brain damage from the TBI and possibly other factors going on. My job now is to get to the bottom of that with my doctors."
The Accident and Its Aftermath
The incident occurred in May 2025, nearly a year after Lilly announced her retirement from acting to focus on her family. The former Lost star fainted while at a beach in Hawaii, falling directly onto a boulder. She was rushed to hospital with significant facial injuries, which she documented in graphic photos shared on social media at the time.
While her external wounds have healed, the internal damage has proven to be more severe and long-lasting. Cognitive decline is a known potential consequence of head injuries involving concussion, often leading to challenges with memory, concentration, and overall mental processing.
Facing Recovery with Resilience
Lilly admitted that the road to recovery would involve significant effort. "[I will] embark on the hard work of fixing it, which I’m not looking forward to," she said. "I feel like hard work is all I do. But that’s okay. My cognitive decline is because I smashed my face open."
Despite the difficult news, the actress struck a note of gratitude, stating the experience had forced her to slow down and enjoy a more restful end to 2025. She expressed thankfulness for "being able to play one more day, one more year on this beautiful living planet."
The update prompted an outpouring of support from fans and fellow celebrities alike. Michelle Pfeiffer, who played Lilly's on-screen mother in the Ant-Man movies, commented on the video, calling her a "warrior." Other co-stars, including David Dastmalchian, Nathan Fillion, and Walton Goggins, had previously sent their well-wishes following the initial accident.
Lilly also noted in a past Substack article that she has experienced fainting spells since childhood, adding context to the sudden incident that led to her life-altering injury.
