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In the early 2000s, Evangeline Lilly, like all hard-working actors, spent a few years paying her dues. Look closely and you’ll see Lilly go through a few episodes of “Smallville” or “Tru Calling.” She was an extra in films like “The Lizzie McGuire Movie,” “Freddy vs. Jason” and “White Chicks.” In 2004, however, Lilly got an unexpected big break when she was cast as Kate in the hit series “Lost.” That show, a freight train of popularity, catapulted its cast to fame, and Lilly suddenly became one of Hollywood’s hottest actresses.
The “Lost” gig lasted six years, and Lilly appeared in 108 episodes of the series. She also continued to appear in high-profile feature films, appearing in the Academy Award-winning “The Hurt Locker” and playing an elf in two of Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit” films. She had perfected a certain type of steely performance that casting directors loved.
In 2015, Lilly played the superheroine Wasp in Peyton Reed’s “Ant-Man”, a film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This made the already famous actress even more popular and she continued to play the Wasp. in several additional MCU films and ancillary media projects. Based on the 2021 book by Tara Bennett and Paul Terry “The History of Marvel Studios: The Creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe”, However, Lilly almost turned down the role of the Wasp. It appears she was considering retiring from acting altogether and had no affection for Marvel superheroes. So she personally had no reason to accept this position. She changed her mind when she learned who would direct “Ant-Man” and who would be her co-star. The real benefit, however, was that she would finally be allowed to play a character who smiles and laughs.
Lilly was attracted to working with Edgar Wright
Lilly received “Ant-Man” while it was still in its early stages of development, around the time Edgar Wright was developing the project. Paul Rudd had already been cast as the main character at that point as well, and these people made Lilly’s ears perk up. She admitted in “The Story of Marvel Studios” that she was not a fan of superheroes and hadn’t really bothered to watch the existing Marvel films due to a complete lack of interest. “[It was] “Not because I had seen Marvel movies and didn’t like them,” she said, “but because I was living under a rock, as I am.” She also laughed that there was a superhero called “Ant-Man”, and joked that she thought her manager made it up. “Are they running out of superheroes?” she remembers asking.
But when she learned that Edgar Wright was going to direct the film, everything changed. Wright had made a name for himself directing energetic comedic pastiches like “Shaun of the Dead” and “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” so Lilly was interested. Plus, with Paul Rudd in the lead, she knew it would be a different project. “Who are the people who make Paul Rudd a superhero?” she asked. “And they let Edgar Wright direct a sprawling superhero movie? I love that!”
That’s also when Lilly finally realized that “Ant-Man” was part of a series that began with Jon Favreau’s “Iron Man” in 2008, which she had seen and loved. She started doing some homework and discovered that she was also very much in love with “The Avengers.”
Evangeline Lilly was relieved to be able to play a character who smiles and laughs
Lilly admitted, however, that she liked the idea of ”Ant-Man” mainly because of how fun it was. An action comedy was exactly what she wanted. She admitted that her role in “Lost,” while lucrative, was still intense. There was very little lightness. A Marvel movie, of course, would provide that levity. Many critics complained that Marvel had finally become too much of a joke over the years, but when Lilly watched “Ant-Man,” it was still the MCU’s biggest selling point. Lily said:
“Seeing the insolence of Marvel, and seeing them wink at you and say, ‘Isn’t that fun?’ I love it. Since finishing “Lost,” my goal in my acting career has been “I want to have fun.” […] [On ‘Lost’] I ran in fear, I screamed, I cried, torn between two lovers – everything was agonizing, except for maybe five percent of my days. […] That was really the turning point with “Ant-Man.” Realizing that I could have a great time and be in the very good hands of people who really know how to make great films. »
Lilly remained committed to the project even when Edgar Wright retired on creative differences. Peyton Reed stepped in and made a highly praised and very successful film; it grossed over $519 million at the box office. Lilly played the Wasp in Reed’s sequel “Ant-Man and the Wasp” and, most recently, “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.” After this film, Lilly decided to retire, at least temporarily, to spend time with her family. Lilly got to star in “Lost”, followed it up with a few superhero comedies and is now living her private life.
