Evangeline Lilly reveals brain damage following traumatic brain injury

Evangeline Lilly has shared difficult news about her recovery from a traumatic brain injury, revealing that months after suffering a serious concussion, nearly every part of her brain is functioning at a reduced capacity.

The actress, 46, took to Instagram on 2 January to share a “concussion update,” detailing the results of recent brain scans following a May accident at the beach. Lilly fainted and fell face-first into a boulder, sustaining a concussion that later prompted her to step back from acting.

“I’m entering into this new year, the Year of the Horse, with some bad news about my concussion,” Lilly said in the video. “A lot of you asked how I’m doing… And the results came back from the scans. So I do have brain damage from the TBI, and possibly other factors going on.”

The Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania star said the diagnosis confirmed symptoms she had experienced since the accident, including cognitive decline, fatigue, and slowed mental processing. Despite the news, she said the experience has also shifted her perspective.

“But now my job is to get to the bottom of that with doctors and then embark on the hard work of fixing it,” Lilly said. “Which I don’t look forward to because I feel like hard work is all I do. But that’s okay. My cognitive decline since I smashed my face open has helped me to slow down and helped me to have a more restful finish to 2025.”

In a caption accompanying the video, Lilly wrote, “Verdict’s in… I do have brain damage from my TBI. Comforting to know my cognitive decline isn’t just perimenopause, discomforting to know what an uphill battle it will be to try to reverse the deficiencies. Thank you all for always asking, for always caring, and for your continued prayers.”

Messages of support quickly followed from fans and fellow actors. Michelle Pfeiffer commented, “You are a warrior. Nothing, not even this will defeat you my friend,” while Alyssa Milano wrote, “Thinking about you.”

Lilly, who has previously spoken about experiencing fainting spells, described the accident as a “reset,” expressing gratitude despite the pain and visible injuries she sustained.