Ant-Man star Evangeline Lilly is speaking out against Disney after the company cut over 1,000 jobs, with Marvel Studios’ visual development team getting hit especially hard. Lilly says the artists who built the Marvel Cinematic Universe are being thrown away and replaced by artificial intelligence.
The actress, who played Hope van Dyne (The Wasp) in four Marvel films, took to Instagram with a strong message for the entertainment giant. Her comments came after she learned that her friend and longtime Marvel artist Andy Park was among those let go.
‘SHAME ON YOU for Turning Your Back on the People Who Built Marvel’
Lilly did not hold back in her Instagram post. She directly tagged Disney’s account and wrote, “SHAME ON YOU for turning your back on the people who built the power you are now using to throw them away.”
In a video shared on her page, Lilly explained that she reached out to Andy Park, the Director of Visual Development at Marvel, after hearing news of the layoffs. Park worked at Marvel for nearly two decades, starting with 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor. He helped design the look of countless MCU characters, including the original Wasp super-suit that Lilly wore in the Ant-Man movies.
“I reached out to my good friend Andy Park, who was the genius behind creating the original Wasp super-suit and concept drawings. And I said, ‘Is this true? Is this really what’s happening?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, it’s true. I have been let go.’” – Evangeline Lilly
Lilly said she cannot believe that Disney would fire the very people who brought the Marvel Universe to life through their imagination and skill.
Disney’s April 2026 Layoffs Hit Marvel Hard
The job cuts happened in mid-April 2026. Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro sent a memo to staff on April 14 informing them about the reductions. Around 1,000 employees lost their jobs across the company.
Marvel Studios was one of the hardest-hit divisions. The cuts affected film and television production, comics, finance, legal, and the visual development department. Reports say Marvel’s workforce was reduced by about 8% . Disney later told some news outlets that the percentage was smaller, but they did not give a specific number.
The visual development team, which was created in 2010, has been almost completely dismantled. According to multiple reports, Disney plans to move to a contractor-based model for future projects instead of keeping full-time artists on staff.
Lilly Claims AI Is Replacing Human Artists
The part that upsets Lilly the most is her belief that Disney is using artificial intelligence to replace the human artists who built the MCU’s look and feel.
“I can’t quite believe that Disney has let go of the artists who brought the current Marvel Universe to life through their imagination and their genius. That the people who invented these characters, who designed them in the first place, are now being replaced by AI.” – Evangeline Lilly
She explained that AI will take the designs these artists created and use them to make new versions, all without paying or crediting the original creators.
Lilly also called out lawmakers in California for not having laws that protect artists. She wrote, “Where are the laws that REMOVE all human art from the AI bank?!? 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?? Disgusting.”
Park’s Two Decades of Work With Marvel
Andy Park was not just any employee. He was a key figure in shaping how the MCU looks on screen. He worked on most major Marvel projects, including Avengers: Endgame. He also worked on the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, which is set for release later this year.
Fans know Park for his detailed concept art and character designs. He helped create the visual identity of heroes and villains across multiple phases of the MCU. Losing someone with his experience and talent has shocked many in the entertainment industry.
Lilly apologized directly to Park in her video. “I am so sorry Andy, and I am so sorry to every single one of the artists who were let go in the 1,000 artists that Disney fired, and particularly the entire team at Marvel who have been considered obsolete now after building the Marvel empire,” she said.
Disney Says Layoffs Are About Streamlining Operations
Disney has not directly responded to Lilly’s accusations about AI replacing workers. In the memo sent to staff, CEO Josh D’Amaro said the cuts were part of a larger effort to “streamline our operations” and create a “more agile and technologically-enabled workforce.”
Representatives for Disney have told news outlets that the changes are meant to help the company run more smoothly. They have not confirmed any plans to use AI in place of human artists for visual development work. However, the timing of the layoffs and the decision to move to a contractor-based model has raised red flags for many in the creative community.
Lilly Is Not Part of Upcoming Avengers: Doomsday
It is worth noting that Evangeline Lilly announced in 2024 that she was stepping away from acting. She is not listed in the cast for Avengers: Doomsday, which comes out in December 2026. Her Quantumania co-stars Paul Rudd and Kathryn Newton will appear in the film, but Lilly will not.
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Even though she is no longer working with Marvel, Lilly made it clear that she still cares deeply about the people behind the scenes. She urged Marvel fans to take a moment and think about the artists who created the world they fell in love with.
“If you’re a huge fan of Marvel, just take a moment today to think about them, to send up a prayer for them, to honor them, to honor the people who created the world that you fell in love with. That was a human invention. These were human creations. And they shouldn’t be stolen by tech giants so that their robots can replicate them.” – Evangeline Lilly
She ended her message by saluting the Marvel artists. “To the @marvelstudios artists who designed and brought to life the glory days of Marvel … I salute you. 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.”
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