Evangeline Lilly criticizes Disney over layoffs of Marvel artists

Actress Evangeline Lilly has criticized Disney after the company laid off about 1,000 employees earlier this month, including workers at Marvel Studios.

Lilly, known for playing the Wasp in Marvel movies, said she was shocked when she heard the news. She confirmed it by contacting artist Andy Park, who helped design characters like the Wasp. Park told her he had lost his job.

Speaking in a video shared on Instagram, Lilly said she could not believe Disney had let go of artists who helped create the Marvel universe. She described their work as important and said they were key to the success of the films.

Lilly also claimed that some of these artists are being replaced by artificial intelligence. However, Disney has not said that AI is the reason for the layoffs. In a message to employees, Disney executive Josh D’Amaro said the job cuts were part of a plan to make the company more efficient.

Lilly expressed support for the workers who lost their jobs and encouraged fans to recognize their contributions. She called the situation “disgusting and horrible” and urged lawmakers to protect artists from being replaced by AI.

In a written post, she praised Marvel’s creative teams and criticized Disney for letting them go. Lilly said she would always remember the effort and passion the artists put into their work.

The layoffs are part of broader changes at Disney as the company looks to reduce costs and reorganize its business.