NEWSEvangeline Lilly Calls Out Disney Over Marvel Layoffs
Evangeline Lilly blasted Disney over Marvel layoffs, calling the cuts 'disgusting.'
May 18 2026, Published 5:00 a.m. ET
Evangeline Lilly, known for her role as Hope van Dyne in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has publicly criticized Disney for its recent layoffs at Marvel Studios, which resulted in approximately 1,000 job losses.
Evangeline Lilly slammed Disney after layoffs impacted around 1,000 Marvel employees.
In a Wednesday, April 29 Instagram post, Lilly expressed her outrage, asking, “Where are the laws that REMOVE all human art from the AI bank?!? Why do they get to steal our brilliance and use it to make executives rich while the artists responsible for feeding their robots go hungry??”
She described the layoffs as “disgusting” and urged California lawmakers to take action.
Lilly also extended her support to the dedicated artists at Marvel Studios, stating, “I salute you.”
She recognized their hard work and commitment, saying, “I was there. I know what you did. I know how passionately you worked round the clock to make magic happen.”
Her praise highlights the critical role these artists played in creating Marvel’s success.
The 'Ant-Man' star criticized the use of AI and accused companies of profiting from artists while cutting jobs.
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The actress did not shy away from holding Disney accountable.
“SHAME ON YOU for turning your back on the people who built the power you are now using to throw them away,” she emphasized, tagging Disney in her message.
This direct confrontation signals her frustration and the feelings of many others in the industry.
The actress directly called out Disney, writing 'SHAME ON YOU' for turning on the people behind its success.
Reports indicate that the layoffs affected about 8 percent of the workforce across Marvel Entertainment in New York and Marvel Studios in Burbank, Calif. The layoffs impacted multiple departments, including film and TV production, visual development, comics, franchise management, finance, and legal.
Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro confirmed the extensive layoffs, which come amid ongoing struggles for the company’s financial stability. These cuts follow a previous round of layoffs at Marvel in 2024, indicating a pattern of workforce reductions.
The layoffs reportedly affected multiple departments, raising concerns about the future of creative work.
In her closing remarks, Lilly encouraged her followers to show support for Marvel Studios’ Director of Visual Development, Andy Park, and thanked Patrick Caligiuri for sharing the news about the layoffs. The outcry from Lilly and others raises concerns about the future of creative professions in an industry increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence.
