‘Lost’ star Evangeline Lilly shares update after traumatic brain injury

Evangeline Lilly has revealed that she sustained brain damage following a fall while on holiday in Hawaii last year.

The actress, best known for her role in Lost, said the incident took place in May 2025 when she fainted at a beach and fell face-first onto a boulder. At the time, Lilly shared images showing injuries to her face and confirmed she had suffered a concussion.

In a new update posted on Friday, Lilly disclosed that doctors have since diagnosed her with a traumatic brain injury, commonly known as TBI.

“Verdict’s in. I do have brain damage from my TBI,” she wrote. “Comforting to know my cognitive decline isn’t just peri-menopause, discomforting to know what an uphill battle it will be to try to reverse the deficiencies.”

Lilly said brain scans revealed that almost every area of her brain is currently functioning at a reduced capacity. She added that she is now working with doctors to better understand the damage and explore treatment options.

“My job is to get to the bottom of that with doctors and then embark on the hard work of fixing it,” she wrote, noting that the experience has forced her to slow down after what she described as an intense period of work.

The actress previously announced that she would step away from acting for the foreseeable future, a decision she linked to both her recovery and a desire to focus on family life and humanitarian efforts. She said the injury has helped her embrace a slower pace and a more restful end to 2025.

Lilly is also known for playing Hope van Dyne, also known as the Wasp, in Marvel’s Ant‑Man films, as well as roles in The Hurt Locker and The Hobbit trilogy.

Support poured in following her update, including a message from her Ant-Man co-star Michelle Pfeiffer, who wrote: “You are a warrior. Nothing, not even this, will defeat you.”

Reflecting on her break from Hollywood last year, Lilly said stepping away from fame has brought her a sense of fulfilment. While she has not ruled out a future return to acting, she said her focus for now remains on healing, family and personal purpose.

Aasiya Niaz