Evangeline Lilly Details Brain Damage and Cognitive Challenges Months After Serious Accident

Evangeline Lilly revealed she is facing brain damage and cognitive challenges months after a severe accident in Hawaii, sharing the news with fans in a heartfelt social media update.

The "Lost" and "Ant-Man and the Wasp" star fainted and fell face-first onto a boulder last year, resulting in a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

"Verdict's in...I do have brain damage from my TBI," Lilly wrote on Instagram on January 2.

"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."

According to RollingStone, she thanked fans for their support, noting, "Thank you all for always asking, for always caring, and for your continued prayers."

In a video recorded on January 1, Lilly explained that brain scans revealed "almost every area in my brain is functioning at a decreased capacity."

She added, "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 okay."

Lilly Reflects on Restful Holidays

Despite the challenges, Lilly said her cognitive decline has allowed her to slow down and enjoy a more restful end to 2025.

"I think this was the calmest, most restful Christmas holiday I have had, maybe since I had children. So 14 years ago. So that's a good thing," she said.

Lilly's accident in Hawaii was not entirely unexpected, as she has experienced fainting episodes since childhood.

In a May 2025 Substack essay, she described suffering from "absent" spells and blackouts, which were previously attributed to hypoglycemia, USA Today reported.

Over time, medical tests ruled out low blood sugar as the cause, leaving some of her episodes unexplained.

Her husband, Norman Kali, shared that during these blackouts, Lilly appeared lifeless at times, highlighting the severity of her past episodes.

"Feeling extraordinarily grateful and blessed to be able to play one more day, one more year on this beautiful living planet. And that is my concussion updates. Thank you all for caring," Lilly concluded.

Lilly's update also received support from fellow actors, including Michelle Pfeiffer, who commented, "You are a warrior. Nothing—not even this—will defeat you, my friend."