Actress Evangeline Lilly publicly condemned Disney for its recent layoffs, including 1,000 employees across the company, with a focus on Marvel Studios' visual development team. Lilly, known for her role as Hope van Dyne (The Wasp) in four Marvel films, shared her criticism on Instagram, calling the decision "disgusting" and accusing Disney of prioritizing executives over artists. She specifically mentioned her friend Andy Park, a longtime Marvel visual development artist who helped design the Wasp suit, as one of those affected.
Disney has not publicly responded to Lilly's comments or the layoffs. The company announced the cuts earlier this month as part of broader restructuring efforts. Lilly also expressed concern about AI replacing human artists, stating that the technology would "steal" their work to enrich executives. She urged lawmakers to intervene, questioning why there are no laws protecting artists from AI exploitation.
Lilly, who announced her retirement from acting in 2024, praised the artists who contributed to Marvel's success, calling them "magicians" and criticizing Disney for turning its back on them. She concluded her post by tagging Disney with the message: "SHAME ON YOU."
The layoffs have sparked broader discussions about AI's role in creative industries and the ethical implications of replacing human artists with automated systems.