Evangeline Lilly Slams Disney Over Marvel Layoffs: ‘Disgusting’ Treatment
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EVANGELINE Lilly has hit out at Disney following the recent wave of layoffs at Marvel Studios, branding the move “disgusting” and calling for action from California lawmakers.
The Avengers star took to Instagram to vent her frustration after around 8% of Marvel’s workforce, including key visual artists, were let go in a major shake-up.
“Where are the laws that REMOVE all human art from the AI bank?” Lilly demanded. “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 saluted the creative teams behind Marvel’s success, saying, “I was there. I know what you did.
“I know how passionately you worked round the clock to make magic happen.
“You are the magicians, no matter what the Wizards of our new Oz make it look like going forward. I will never forget.”
The 46-year-old actress, who announced her retirement from acting in 2024, didn’t hold back when addressing Disney directly.
“SHAME ON YOU for turning your back on the people who built the power you are now using to throw them away,” she wrote, tagging the entertainment giant.
Lilly also urged fans to support Marvel Studios’ Director of Visual Development Andy Park and thanked Patrick Caligiuri for highlighting the “bloodbath” layoffs on social media.
The cuts affected departments spanning film and TV production, visual development, comics, franchise, finance, and legal, with many roles replaced by freelance contractors.
Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro confirmed that up to 1,000 employees across the company were impacted.
This latest round of layoffs follows similar staff reductions at Marvel in 2024, adding to mounting concerns about the studio’s direction amid advances in AI technology.
Lilly’s outspoken post has sparked fresh debate over the ethics of AI use in creative industries and the treatment of artists behind blockbuster hits.
