Evangeline Lilly, best known for her roles as Hope van Dyne/The Wasp in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films including Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, as well as Kate Austen in the groundbreaking series Lost, has provided a candid update on her health after suffering a traumatic injury last year.
In a video posted to her official Instagram account on January 2, 2026, the 46-year-old actress revealed the results of recent brain scans following a concussion she sustained in May 2025. The incident occurred when Lilly fainted while at a beach in Hawaii and fell face-first onto a boulder, resulting in significant facial injuries and a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Addressing her followers directly in the video, Lilly began by saying, “I am entering into this new year, the Year of the Horse, with some bad news about my concussion.” She acknowledged the ongoing concern from supporters, noting, “A lot of you asked how I’m doing. A lot of you have inquired about the brain scans that you heard I got. And the results came back from the scans and almost every area in my brain is functioning at a decreased capacity. So I do have brain damage from the TBI, and possibly other factors.”
The actress, who has been open about her recovery process through periodic updates on social media and her Substack newsletter, first shared details of the accident shortly after it happened. At the time, she posted graphic images of her bloodied face, describing how she blacked out and impacted the rock, leading to cuts requiring stitches and immediate medical attention. Medical professionals focused on investigating the cause of her fainting spell, which Lilly has attributed to a longstanding issue with hypoglycemia that has caused similar episodes since childhood.
Despite the challenging diagnosis, Lilly expressed a mix of resolve and optimism in her latest update. “But now my job is to get to the bottom of that with the doctors and then embark on the hard work of fixing it, which I don’t look forward to because I feel like hard work is all I do,” she shared. She added a silver lining to her experience: “But that’s okay. My cognitive decline since I smashed my face open has helped me to slow down and helped me to have a more restful finish to my 2025.”
Lilly noted that the effects of the injury contributed to what she described as her calmest and most restful Christmas holiday in over a decade, allowing her a period of unexpected tranquility amid her recovery.
Prior to the accident, Lilly had announced in 2024 that she was stepping away from acting to focus on other priorities, including humanitarian work and family life. Lilly's career spans notable roles, including Tauriel in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy. She first appeared as Hope van Dyne in 2015's Ant-Man, going on to star in all three films in the series opposite Paul Rudd, as well as reprising the role in Avengers: Endgame. Following her retirement announcement in June 2024—nearly two years ago—where she expressed a desire to step away from acting to prioritize family and humanitarian efforts, a return to the MCU for the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars already seemed improbable, though the future of the Wasp character in the franchise could still be explored in other ways.
As she enters 2026, Lilly concluded her message with gratitude, emphasizing her appreciation for life despite the setbacks. Her openness about the ongoing challenges of traumatic brain injuries highlights the long-term impacts such conditions can have, even after initial physical wounds heal.
