Evangeline Lilly has disclosed that she has brain damage, months after suffering a concussion when she fainted and fell face-first onto a boulder. The 46-year-old Canadian actor, known for roles in Lost, The Hobbit, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, shared the news in an Instagram video, describing the results of a recent brain scan.
Lilly said the scan showed that “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.” The actor stated that her job now is to investigate further with doctors and “embark on the hard work of fixing it”.
Her Marvel co-star Michelle Pfeiffer offered support, writing: “You are a warrior. Nothing – not even this will defeat you my friend.”
At the time of the accident in May, Lilly shared photos of her bloodied face on Substack, describing how she blacked out and her partner became frightened. She noted that she has experienced fainting spells since childhood, with doctors initially suspecting hypoglycemia before ruling it out. Despite the injury, she expressed gratitude, writing: “It might seem crazy looking at my face and my busted tooth, but I feel so grateful that I blacked out. I needed the reset.”
Lilly has been on a three-year hiatus from acting, with her last role as Hope van Dyne (the Wasp) in the 2023 film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. In June, she told Variety she was not actively pursuing acting work and is focusing on humanitarian efforts and writing.
