Evangeline Lilly Speaks Out Against Disney’s Marvel Layoffs: A Call for Change
Evangeline Lilly Critiques Disney Over Marvel Layoffs
Actress Evangeline Lilly has publicly criticized The Walt Disney Company following significant layoffs within Marvel, which saw its workforce reduced by approximately 8%. The cuts, part of broader reductions across various departments, heavily impacted the visual and production teams at Marvel, even after a previous round of layoffs in 2024.
Lilly, known for her role as Hope van Dyne, the Wasp, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, voiced her concerns on social media. In an Instagram post, she stated, “SHAME ON YOU for turning your back on the people who built the power you are now using to throw them away.”
In a video accompanying her statement, Lilly responded to the news about the Marvel layoffs. She reached out to Andy Park, the designer behind the Wasp’s suit, to confirm the unsettling reports. Upon learning that Park had also been laid off, she expressed disbelief. “I can’t quite believe that Disney have let go of the artists who brought the current Marvel Universe to life through their imagination and their genius,” she said. Lilly criticized the trend of replacing artists with artificial intelligence, stating, “the people who invented these characters… are now being replaced by AI.”
She continued to express her sorrow for Park and the other artists impacted by the layoffs: “I am so sorry to every single one of the artists who were let go… particularly the entire team at Marvel who have been considered obsolete now after building the Marvel empire.”
Lilly emphasized the value of the human creativity behind Marvel’s visuals, stating that they “shouldn’t be stolen by tech giants so that their robots can replicate them. I think it’s disgusting and horrible, and I stand with all the artists and Andy.”
Since her debut in 2015’s Ant-Man, Lilly has reprised her role in several Marvel projects, including Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023).
For the full statement, watch Lilly’s video below.
