Evangeline Lilly is taking a break from acting, for the time being.
The actress, 44, shared on Instagram Monday that she is retiring, feeling happy and ready to pursue her dreams.
“Praise God, I feel so grateful for my blessings. 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,” Lilly captioned a nearly 20-year-old video of herself. “I might return to Hollywood one day, but, for now, this is where I belong. A new season has arrived, and I AM READY…and I AM HAPPY,” she added.
In a flashback video, a young Lilly talked about her aspirations for the future. She mentioned wanting to become a retired actress, have a family with two children, pursue writing, and dedicate herself to humanitarian work.
Lilly, famous for playing Kate Austen on the TV show “Lost,” has a son and daughter with her partner Norman Kali. She also appeared in the Marvel movies “Ant-Man” as Hope van Dyne, and returned for the sequels “Ant-Man and the Wasp” in 2018, “Avengers: Endgame” in 2019, and most recently “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” in 2023.
Her other notable credits include roles in “Smallville,” “Real Steel,” and two films in the “Hobbit” franchise.
Lilly has always been open about her time in Hollywood. In 2018, she shared a negative experience she had while filming “Lost” that made her decide not to do any more nude scenes in her career. During Season 3, she felt pressured into doing a partially naked scene and felt helpless in the situation. It was a distressing moment for her, and she was deeply upset, even crying afterwards. Despite this, she managed to gather herself and continue with a powerful scene.
