# Evangeline Lilly Reveals brain Damage Following Concussion
The “Lost” and Marvel star disclosed that a recent brain scan showed decreased function in nearly all areas of her brain, months after a beachside fall resulted in a traumatic brain injury.
Evangeline Lilly, the 46-year-old Canadian actor celebrated for her roles in “lost,” “The Hobbit” films, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has revealed she sustained brain damage following a concussion earlier this year. Lilly shared the news in a video posted to her Instagram account, detailing the results of a recent brain scan.
The injury occured in May when Lilly fainted on a beach and fell headfirst into a rock, an incident she previously documented with photos of her injuries on Substack. According to Lilly, the scan revealed that “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 going on,” she stated in the video. “But now my job is to get to the bottom of that with 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. But that’s OK.”
lilly acknowledged the challenges ahead, noting her cognitive decline since the incident. Though, she also expressed a sense of acceptance, stating that the experience has encouraged her to “slow down and…have a more restful finish to my 2025.”
In a caption accompanying the video, Lilly shared her relief at discovering the cognitive issues weren’t solely attributable to perimenopause, while together recognizing the “uphill battle” that lies ahead in reversing the deficiencies.
Support from her peers has been forthcoming. Michelle Pfeiffer,Lilly’s costar in the Marvel films,offered encouragement,writng,”You are a warrior. Nothing – not even this will defeat you my friend.”
Lilly has a history of fainting spells,dating back to childhood. Initial medical assessments attributed these episodes to hypoglycemia, but that diagnosis was later ruled out.She has described these episodes as her “little soul reaching her limit of what she feels she can cope with in this life, and she ‘leaves the building,’ so to speak.” Despite the trauma, Lilly expressed gratitude, stating she felt a need for a “reset.”
The actor has been on hiatus from acting for three years, with her most recent role being Hope van Dyne, also known as the Wasp, in the 2023 Marvel film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. In June, Lilly informed Variety that she is currently prioritizing humanitarian work and writing, and is “not actively pursuing any work in the industry.”
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Lilly’s openness about her health struggles underscores the often-invisible consequences of traumatic brain injuries and the long road to recovery. Her decision to focus on persona
