Evangeline Lilly Opens Up About the Financial Reality of Brain Health and Her Intensive New Healing Protocol
Evangeline Lilly has spent over twenty years portraying iconic heroes on screen, but her most daunting challenge is currently a personal battle for neurological health. In early 2026, the Lost and Ant-Man star shared a series of vulnerable updates with her followers, detailing the extensive and expensive road to recovery following a traumatic brain injury.
The crisis began in May 2025, when Lilly experienced a sudden blackout while on a beach in Hawaii, leading to a violent fall where she struck her face against a boulder. While the immediate concern at the hospital was stitching the lacerations on her face, the long-term repercussions proved much more severe. By January, comprehensive brain scans revealed a sobering reality: almost every area in my brain is functioning at a decreased capacity, she explained.
Confronted with the news that she sustained lasting brain damage, Lilly has pivoted toward a specialized and high-cost medical path. I am getting experts to tell me how to remedy the deficiencies in my brain at the moment, the actress shared in a recent video update. She acknowledged that the level of care she is receiving is a privilege that remains out of reach for many.
I consider myself one of the extremely fortunate people in this country who can take care of my body the way it needs to be taken care of without money getting in the way of that, she admitted. Her current regimen involves a complex list of supplements targeted at specific cognitive gaps, including NAC, omega-3s, and curcumin. While she prefers to get her nutrition from whole foods, she noted that in a pinch, when the body needs extra help and extra support, I believe that supplements can be really, really useful.
Lilly’s decision to go public with the financial and logistical details of her recovery stems from a desire to demystify brain health for others suffering from similar injuries. She noted that while her protocol was designed by experts specifically for her needs, she hopes sharing the knowledge will help others navigate the often-confusing landscape of TBI recovery. I want to share what I’m learning from them in case any of you out there are also experiencing repercussions from a TBI concussion, she told her fans.
As of now, Evangeline Lilly remains officially on a hiatus from Hollywood, a decision she initially announced in mid-2024. Having spent over 20 years in the industry, including a massive run as Hope van Dyne in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she expressed that stepping away from what seems like the obvious choice (wealth and fame) can feel scary at times, but stepping into your dharma replaces the fear with fulfillment.
While she hasn’t appeared in a new project since 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Lilly has found a new sense of purpose in her humanitarian work and her writing.
Outside of her recovery, Lilly’s legacy continues to be felt in the industry, particularly as Marvel fans speculate on whether her character might return for a final appearance in the upcoming Avengers films. For now, however, the actress seems content with a quieter life in Hawaii, finding that her recent cognitive struggles have actually helped her appreciate a slower, more restful pace of existence.
Do you think the transparency shown by celebrities like Evangeline Lilly helps highlight the need for more affordable brain health care? Share your thoughts in the comments.