Evangeline Lilly
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person
Nicole Evangeline Lilly (born August 3, 1979)<ref name=GlobeandMail>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> is a Canadian former actress and author. She gained popularity for her first leading role as Kate Austen in the ABC drama series Lost (2004–2010), which garnered her six nominations for the Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television and a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series.
Lilly has also appeared in the war film The Hurt Locker (2008) and sports drama Real Steel (2011), and has starred as Tauriel in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit film series, appearing in The Desolation of Smaug (2013) and The Battle of the Five Armies (2014). From 2015 to 2023, she has also portrayed Hope van Dyne / Wasp in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Lilly is also the author of a children's book series The Squickerwonkers.
Early life
Lilly was born in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, on August 3, 1979. She was raised in British Columbia by her mother, a daycare center owner, and her father, a home economics teacher. She has an older sister and a younger sister. Lilly was raised Baptist and Mennonite.<ref name=GlobeandMail /><ref name="RollingStone2005">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name=rf>Template:Cite web</ref>
Lilly graduated from W. J. Mouat Secondary School in Abbotsford, British Columbia, with a 4.3 GPA; she was captain of the soccer team and vice president of the student council.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She attended Wilfrid Laurier University for her undergrad. In university, she was a waitress, did "oil-changes and grease-jobs on big rig trucks", and was a flight attendant for Royal Airlines to pay for her tuition.<ref name=womenshealthprofile>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=metrointerview>Template:Cite web</ref> Her interest in humanitarian causes and world development led her to major in international relations at the University of British Columbia.<ref name=yahooprofile>Template:Cite web</ref>
Acting career
2002–2003: Early career
Lilly's acting career began when she was discovered by a Ford Modelling Agency agent while passing the time in Kelowna, British Columbia.<ref name=comcastdiscovery>Template:Cite web</ref> She took the agent's business card but did not immediately pursue acting. She eventually called and the agency landed her several roles in commercials and non-speaking parts in the TV shows Smallville and Kingdom Hospital.<ref name=yahooprofile /><ref name=canadianencyclopedia>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref name=usatodayspeaking>Template:Cite web</ref> She was also on a video game news and review show on the gaming television channel G4TV.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2004–2007: Breakthrough with Lost
In late 2003, Lilly was encouraged by a friend to audition for ABC's Lost, but did not expect to be cast.<ref name="123EL"/> The secrecy campaign meant auditioning actors could not see the full script, could read only short scenes, and knew only the basic premise of people surviving a plane crash on a tropical island.<ref name="123EL"/> It reminded Lilly of The Blue Lagoon, and she thought Lost would "at best be a mediocre TV show".<ref name="123EL">Template:Cite web</ref> Around 75 women auditioned for the part of Kate Austen. Writer and co-creator Damon Lindelof said that he and executive producer and co-creator J. J. Abrams "...were fast-forwarding through a tape and he saw her and said: 'That's the girl!'"<ref name=usatodayabrams>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=io9>Template:Cite web</ref> The character almost had to be recast, as Lilly had trouble acquiring a work visa to enter the United States.<ref name="DVD">Template:Cite video</ref> Her application was finally accepted after nearly 20 tries; she arrived in Hawaii for filming one day late.<ref name="DVD" />
Lost ran for six seasons, from 2004 to 2010.<ref name=nytost>Template:Cite web</ref> It was one of ABC's top primetime shows, winning one Golden Globe Award and ten Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series in 2005, and was ranked the top-rated TV show of the decade by IMDb.<ref name=imdbrankings>Template:Cite web</ref> Lilly was between 24 and 30 years of age during the show's run, appearing in 108 of 121 episodes, as her character, Kate Austen, was the show's female lead. In 2006 she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama.<ref name="nytprofile">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="hobbitlilly">Template:Cite web</ref> Robert Bianco of USA Today praised Lilly's performance in the episode named "Eggtown", saying it was almost worthy of a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series nomination.<ref name=usabianco>Template:Cite web</ref> After shooting the final episode of Lost, Lilly said she was considering taking a break from acting to focus on her charity and humanitarian efforts.<ref name=starpulse /> She told Vulture: "I consider acting a day job—it's not my dream; it's not my be-all, end-all."<ref name=vulturequote>Template:Cite web</ref> She says she uses her high-profile roles to further her humanitarian efforts, not to achieve stardom.<ref name=Cynthia>Template:Cite web</ref>
2008–2014: Established actress
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In 2008, Lilly appeared in the film The Hurt Locker, directed by Kathryn Bigelow.<ref name=fanpop>Template:Cite web</ref> The film received widespread acclaim and went on to be nominated in nine categories at the 82nd Academy Awards, winning six of these including Best Picture.<ref name="Oscars2010">Template:Cite web</ref> Lilly and the cast won the Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Cast and the Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> That same year, Lilly had a leading role in the psychological thriller film Afterwards.<ref name=newswire>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Jimmy Kimmel Live! ABC. 17 October 2011</ref><ref name=huffpobook>Template:Cite web</ref>
In May 2010, Lilly announced on The View that being a mother was her top priority, but that she liked acting as a "day job" and would continue it when possible.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She took a short hiatus that year and was not in contact with Hollywood.<ref name="EL33">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2011, despite turning down a number of film offers, Lilly appeared as Bailey Tallet, a boxing gym owner, in Real Steel alongside Hugh Jackman.<ref name=rsusatoday>Template:Cite web</ref> She accepted the role after director Shawn Levy sent her the script.<ref name=latimesrs>Template:Cite news</ref> Levy noted that Lilly was "magnificent to look" and that he "needed someone who you believed had grown up in a man's world; Bailey needed to have a strength and a toughness that was not at the expense of her being womanly".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Real Steel went on to be nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 84th Academy Awards.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="boxofficemojooscars">Template:Cite news</ref> During promotion for the film, Lilly turned down a role in the X-Men franchise from Jackman, noting that she "wasn't into superhero movies" at the time.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2012, Lilly was cast as the Mirkwood elf Tauriel in Peter Jackson's three-part adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit.<ref name="nythobbit">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="huffpohobbit">Template:Cite web</ref> The character, which does not appear in the original book by Tolkien, was created by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh as the head of the Elven guard.<ref name="hobbitmovienews.com"/> For the role, Lilly underwent training for swordplay, archery and speaking the Elvish language.<ref name="hobbitmovienews.com">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="AccessHollywood">Template:Cite web</ref> Lilly described Tauriel as a nonconformist, noting that she tends to "rebel against the established social order of the Elves".<ref name=EntertainmentWeekly>Rottenberg, Josh (5 June 2013). "First look: Evangeline Lilly's elf warrior in 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug' -- EXCLUSIVE" Template:Webarchive. Entertainment Weekly.</ref> Lilly appeared as the character in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) and its sequel, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014).<ref name=IBT>Template:Cite web</ref>
2015–2023: Ant-Man films and other work
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In 2015, Lilly played Hope van Dyne, the daughter of Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne, in the superhero film Ant-Man as a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).<ref name="Ant-Man-1">Template:Cite web</ref> Lilly described her character as "capable, strong, and kick-ass", but said that being raised by two superheroes resulted in Hope being "a pretty screwed up human being [...] and the clear message sent by my name is that I'm not a big fan of my father and so I took my mother's name."<ref name="Lilly3">Template:Cite AV media</ref> Lilly also signed a multi-film contract with Marvel.<ref name="/Film65Things4">Template:Cite web</ref> The film received generally positive reviews.<ref name="NYTimesReview">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2017, Lilly starred in the Netflix horror film Little Evil alongside Adam Scott.<ref name="Romano">Template:Cite magazine</ref> In 2018, she reprised her role as Van Dyne in Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), donning the superhero mantle of the Wasp which had been teased in the first film during an end credits scene.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Ant-Man-2">Template:Cite web</ref> The film received generally positive reviews with Lilly's performance being praised.<ref name="VarietyReview">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The Wasp became the first superheroine to be a titular character in an MCU film.<ref name="Costa Wired">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Lilly also reprised her role in Avengers: Endgame (2019).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> That same year, Lilly was set to star in a film titled Happy Place alongside Ike Barinholtz.Template:Efn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2021, she starred with Armie Hammer and Gary Oldman in Crisis, directed by Nicholas Jarecki.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> That same year, she also starred in South of Heaven alongside Jason Sudeikis and Mike Colter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The latter won her Best Actress at the AFIN International Film Festival.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Lilly also voiced an alternate version of the Wasp in the Disney+ animated series What If...? (2021).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She voiced Van Dyne in the episode "What If... Zombies?!", and received positive reviews.<ref name="YahooReview">Template:Cite web</ref>
In February 2023, Lilly reprised her role as Hope van Dyne / Wasp in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, released as the first film of Phase Five of the MCU.<ref name="October2021Delay">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="AM3TheMarvelsReleases">Template:Cite web</ref> That same month, it was announced that Lilly would voice a character in the English version of the animated historic epic Israeli film, Legend of Destruction, which was originally released in 2021 in Hebrew.<ref name="LODEL1"/> Lilly voiced the "last Jewish queen, Berenice of Cilicia, who did her best to protect her people [...] even at the cost of her life", in which Lilly noted was "really brutal and sad, but it's true".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2024–present: Hiatus
In June 2024, Lilly announced that she was "stepping away" from acting to focus on her family.<ref name="retire1">Template:Cite magazine</ref> She noted that "I might return to Hollywood one day, but for now this is where I belong."<ref name="retire1"/>
In the media
Public image
After gaining recognition for her role as Kate Austen in Lost, Lilly began to appear in the media and was regularly included in "Most Beautiful" lists.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Entertainment Weekly voted Lilly one of its "Breakout Stars of 2004".<ref name=ewbreakout>Template:Cite magazine</ref> That same year, Lilly was voted one of PeopleTemplate:'s "50 Most Beautiful People".<ref>Green, p. 4</ref> In 2007, her portrayal of Austen was voted the number one "Sexiest Woman on Television" by TV Guide and made FHMTemplate:'s Top Sexiest.<ref name=tvguidesex>Template:Cite web</ref>
Lilly is noted for playing "strong, tragic, and even a bit snarky" characters.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Lilly's roles in The Hobbit film series and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Tauriel and Hope van Dyne / Wasp respectively, have received critical acclaim.<ref name="milestone SR">Template:Cite web</ref> <ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> For her performance as Tauriel, Lilly was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress in an Action Movie,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the Empire Award for Best Supporting Actress,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a Kid's Choice Award for Favorite Female Buttkicker.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Charity work
Lilly works with non-profits such as the GO Campaign.<ref name=starpulse>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2009, Lilly auctioned off custom lingerie in support of Task Brasil, "a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the lost street children of Brazil by providing them secure housing".<ref name=FNC>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2010, she auctioned off three lunches in Vancouver, Honolulu, and Los Angeles to help widows and orphans in Rwanda, a country she has made numerous trips to as part of her charity work.<ref name=gocharityvideo>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2012, Lilly auctioned off a Hawaiian hike to raise money for the Sierra Club.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Writing
On set of Lost in 2006, Lilly noted in an interview that she wanted to be a writer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On July 18, 2013, Lilly debuted her book series, titled The Squickerwonkers at San Diego Comic-Con centered around a young girl who joins a group of characters described as a "family" who are all "strange outcasts" and have "very particular vices".<ref name="CC123">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Here 2018">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2014, Titan Books released the first title of The Squickerwonkers titled The Squickerwonkers: The Prequel (2014) with the foreword written by Peter Jackson.<ref name="CC123"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Three main titles titled The Squickerwonkers, Act 1: The Demise of Selma the Spoiled (2018), The Squickerwonkers, Act 2: The Demise of Lorna the Lazy (2018) and The Squickerwonkers, Act 3: The Demise of Andy the Arrogant (2019) were self-published by Quiet Cocoon Productions with Rodrigo Bastos Didier taking over as illustrator.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Lilly has stated that her literary inspirations are Roald Dahl and Edward Gorey.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Personal life
Lilly was raised Baptist and Mennonite and described herself as "very devout and evangelical". She has been involved in humanitarian work for 13 years in Rwanda where she runs an NGO.<ref name="Shape2018">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Esquire2023">Template:Cite web</ref>
Lilly was married to hockey player Murray Hone from 2003 to 2004.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She was in a relationship with English actor and Lost costar Dominic Monaghan from 2004 to 2007.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2010, Lilly began a relationship with Norman Kali. She gave birth to a son, in 2011.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Their second son was born in October 2015.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On 20 December 2006, an electrical problem set fire to Lilly's house in Kailua, Hawaii, destroying the house and all of her possessions while she was on the set of Lost.<ref name=honoluluadvertiser>Template:Cite web</ref> Though she lost all of her belongings, she said that the fire was "almost liberating" and that she was "in no hurry to clutter up [her] life again".<ref name=peopleprofile>Template:Cite journal</ref>
On 16 March 2020, Lilly received mixed responses when she refused to self-quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic, said it was "business as usual" on Instagram, and claimed that she values "freedom over [her] life".<ref name=Independent200319>Template:Cite news</ref> On 26 March, she apologized for her comments and called them "dismissive, arrogant, and cryptic".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 27 January 2022, she posted a photo on Instagram showing that she had taken part in a march against COVID-19 vaccine mandates in Washington, D.C., and said that "nobody should ever be forced to inject their body with anything, against their will".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 18 February, amidst the Canada convoy protest against federal COVID-19 mandates, she urged Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to meet with the protestors.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | The Lizzie McGuire Movie | Police Officer | Uncredited | <ref name="EL1"/> |
| Freddy vs. Jason | School Student Next to Locker | <ref name="EL1"/> | ||
| 2004 | White Chicks | Party Guest | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| 2005 | The Long Weekend | Simone | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| 2008 | The Hurt Locker | Connie James | <ref name="EL2">Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| Afterwards | Claire | <ref name=play>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | ||
| 2011 | Real Steel | Bailey Tallet | <ref name="EL2"/> | |
| 2013 | The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug | Tauriel | <ref name=IBT/> | |
| 2014 | The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies | <ref name=IBT/> | ||
| 2015 | Ant-Man | Hope van Dyne | <ref name="EL33"/> | |
| 2017 | Little Evil | Samantha Bloom | <ref name="Romano"/> | |
| 2018 | Ant-Man and the Wasp | Hope van Dyne / Wasp | <ref name="ReedJun2016">Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| 2019 | Avengers: Endgame | <ref name="LillyConfirm">Template:Cite web</ref> | ||
| 2021 | Crisis | Claire Reimann | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| Legend of Destruction | Queen Berenice | Voice; English dub | <ref name="LODEL1">Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| South of Heaven | Annie Ray | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | ||
| 2023 | Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania | Hope van Dyne / Wasp | Final film role before retiring | <ref name="VarietyReedAM3">Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2024 | Getting Lost | Herself | Documentary film |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–2004 | Smallville | School Girl / Girl in Cinema / Wade's Girlfriend | 4 episodes | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2003 | Stealing Sinatra | Model in Commercial | Television film; Uncredited | <ref name="EL1">Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Tru Calling | Party Guest | Episode: "Morning After" | <ref name="EL1"/> | |
| 2004 | Kingdom Hospital | Benton's Girlfriend | Episode: "Heartless" | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2004–2010 | Lost | Kate Austen | 108 episodes | <ref name="123EL"/> |
| 2021 | What If...? | Hope van Dyne / Wasp | Voice role; Episode: "What If... Zombies?!" | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2023 | Marvel Studios: Assembled | Herself | Episode: "The Making of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania " |
Video games
| Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 | Savannah Mason-Meyer |
Theme park attractions
| Year | Title | Role | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! | Hope van Dyne / Wasp | Hong Kong Disneyland |
| 2022 | Avengers: Quantum Encounter | Disney Wish |
Awards and nominations
Notes
References
Works cited
External links
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- 1979 births
- 21st-century Canadian actresses
- Actresses from Alberta
- Actresses from British Columbia
- Canadian Baptists
- Canadian Mennonites
- Canadian expatriate actresses in the United States
- Canadian expatriates in New Zealand
- Canadian film actresses
- Canadian television actresses
- Female models from Alberta
- Living people
- People from Fort Saskatchewan
- University of British Columbia alumni