Evangeline Lilly, the Canadian actor best known for her roles in Marvel films, has disclosed that she is dealing with brain damage following a serious fall that happened in 2025.
Gatekeepers News reports that Lilly said the incident occurred on a beach in Hawaii, where she fainted and hit her head against a rock.
The fall led to a traumatic brain injury, which doctors later confirmed through medical scans. She explained that she has a long history of fainting episodes, which were previously linked to possible hypoglycemia, though no clear cause was ever confirmed.
In a video update shared on Instagram at the start of 2026, the 46-year-old said recent tests showed widespread impact on her brain.
She said, “It is the first day of 2026, and I am entering this new year with bad news about my concussion. Many of you asked how I have been doing and inquired about the brain scans you heard I got.”
“The results have returned, and almost every area of my brain is functioning at a decreased capacity. I do have brain damage from the traumatic brain injury (TBI) and possibly other factors, but my focus now is to get to the bottom of this with my doctors and begin the hard work of fixing it.”
Lilly noted that the condition has affected her thinking and daily pace but also forced her to slow down. She said, “My cognitive decline since I injured my face has helped me slow down and have a more restful 2025. This was the calmest, most restful Christmas holiday I have had in years.”
Despite the diagnosis, she expressed gratitude for being alive saying, “Feeling extraordinarily grateful and blessed to be alive for one more day and one more year on this beautiful planet. That’s my concussion update. Thanks for caring.”
In a caption attached to the post, the actor said she felt some relief in understanding the cause of her recent struggles, while also acknowledging the long road ahead.
She wrote, “Comforting to know my cognitive decline isn’t just perimenopause, discomforting to know what an uphill battle it will be to try to reverse the deficiencies.”
Lilly rose to global fame through the TV series Lost and later starred in The Hobbit films and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Hope van Dyne, also known as the Wasp.
In 2024, she announced an indefinite break from acting, saying she wanted to step back from Hollywood to focus on her personal life and well-being.
