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Marvel Had Evangeline Lilly’s Back Over Vaccine Critiques

'Ant Man and the Wasp' star reveals discussions over 'controversial' views

For nearly three years we were told to embrace an overriding narrative regarding the pandemic.

Masks work. Mask mandates matter. Get vaxxed, or else. Stay home … unless you’re protesting systemic racism.

Some stars took those measures to the extreme. Jimmy Kimmel and Howard Stern said unvaccinated people shouldn’t be treated in hospitals. Stephen Colbert and Pink slammed lockdown protesters, not caring about businesses on the cusp of bankruptcy or lifelong dreams turning to dust.

And let’s not forget this:

The Vax-Scene - The Box Set

It’s why actress Evangeline Lilly could have watched her career go up in flames for suggesting something else.

The “Lost” alum spoke out against vaccine mandates at a public rally in last year. She also used her social media pulpit to share more about her concerns.

“This is not safe. This is not healthy. This is not love. I understand the world is in fear, but I don’t believe that answering fear with force will fix our problems. I was pro choice before COVID and I am still pro choice today.”

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Evangeline Lilly (@evangelinelillyofficial)

Her views are looking better every day.

Masks didn’t stop the pandemic’s spread. The vaccines aren’t nearly as effective as we were told, and we’re learning more and more about possible side effects for populations most resistant to the virus.

None of that matters.

By betraying the official narrative Lilly put her career in jeopardy. It wouldn’t be the first time an actress lost a coveted gig for saying as much.

Good thing the overlords at the Marvel Cinematic Universe proved more empathetic than most Hollywood dwellers.

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Lilly told the “Happy, Sad, Confused” podcast how she instigated talks with her Marvel superiors about her opinions, hoping to clear the air. She also likely wondered if Disney would cancel her for sharing a different narrative than the pre-approved model.

She didn’t wait to learn her fate, taking matters into her own hands.

I’ve had direct conversations with them that I have instigated and they’ve always said, ‘That’s not our business. That’s not for us to tell you how to live your life or what opinions to have.’ And I actually even got a really supportive phone call from Peyton Reed at one point and just saying like, ’Just so you know, there’s some rumors spreading about Marvel ditching you or canceling you. And that didn’t come from Marvel and that didn’t come from us, so just ignore that.”

The irony is clear.

Actors who say the meanest things on social media rarely, if ever, face any professional consequences. Think Alec Baldwin, Ellen Barkin, Bette Midler and more.

Lilly’s “crime” was suggesting the pandemic narrative wasn’t bulletproof. Time has proven her more right than wrong, and Disney brass deserves credit for understanding that possibility.

12 Comments

  1. You have to wear a mask.
    You need two vaccine shots.
    You need two vaccine shots and You have to wear a mask.
    You need two vaccine shots and You have to wear a mask and you need a booster.
    You need two vaccine shots and You have to wear a mask and you need a booster and another shot next year…and you will still get sick.
    Anyone else figure out the Biden experts don’t know sh- it.

  2. I’m not shocked that Marvel didn’t ax Lilly over her stance on the COVID mandates. After all, they stood by Letitia Wright of Wakanda Forever fame after she retweeted a video skeptical of the COVID vaccine being safe.

      1. @Tony

        Or Marvel leadership supports free speech, including that which they may personally disagree.

        That stance is truly American.

      2. @Ray

        Carano has never starred in an MCU film. You’re thinking of Lucasfilm, which owns Star Wars.

  3. Here come the bootlicking conservatives again. Praising a woman WHO KILLS BABIES ,WANTS MORE BABIES DEAD AND WHO WOULD CALL YOU A FASCIST FOR NOT ALLOWING BABIES TO BE KILLED!!! You people DISGUST me, there are so many ways in which I could add my voice and actual platform , risking my career in H’wd btw to the conservative movement BUT I WONT because YOU BOOT LICKERS are no “serious people”. You glory in haters of life and Christ temporarily agreeing with you on something and that’s just PATHETIC..

      1. Conservatives shouldn’t feel self-righteous on COVID mandates since only ONE Governor, Kristi Noem of South Dakota, never enforced them.

        Even Ron DeSantis of Florida supported COVID mandates for Florida before soon reversing his stance.

    1. Or maybe we we’re just happy to get smaller victories whenever we can take them. Conservatives like myself are grateful to acknowledge progress, even if it is incremental. Taking back the culture is going to take decades, so we have to set realistic short-term goals, I believe.

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