Marvel Star Officially Leaves Hollywood: 'I Am So Filled With Joy And Contentment'
Marvel star Evangeline Lilly has retired from acting.
The "Lost" alum, 44, announced her decision to leave Hollywood in an Instagram post Monday.
In the post, Lilly shared a nearly 20-year-old video of herself speaking about her dreams and goals, which included retiring from acting within a decade.
"I am so filled with joy and contentment today as I live out my vision," Lilly wrote in the caption.
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"Praise God, I feel so grateful for my blessings. Stepping away from what seems like the obvious choice (wealth and fame) can feel scary at times, but stepping into your dharma replaces the fear with fulfillment," the "Ant-Man" actress continued.
Lilly hinted that she's not closing the door completely on a potential return to Hollywood in the future but said she was "happy" with where she was at right now.
"I might return to Hollywood one day, but, for now, this is where I belong. A new season has arrived, and I AM READY...and I AM HAPPY," she wrote.
In the throwback video, a young Lilly shared that in 10 years, she hoped to be a retired actress, have a family with two children, and be a writer and humanitarian.
After her post, Lilly revealed in a statement to Variety that she has been on "a hiatus from acting for the past three years already" after she finished filming "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania."
She confirmed that she is no longer "under any contractual obligations" or taking on any work in the entertainment industry.
Before her retirement, Lilly had already fulfilled one of her goals as she and longtime partner Norman Kali have welcomed a son and daughter.
During a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Lilly revealed that she'd been ready to retire after wrapping up her role as Kate Austen on "Lost" in 2010.
According to the actress, she had "walked away" after she finished filming the 2011 movie "Real Steel" and, for two years, focused on writing scripts, taking care of her baby and living a "quiet little life."
However, director Peter Jackson convinced her to return to acting by offering her the role of Tauriel in "The Hobbit."
"I made a decision and I decided to go do the film. I had a wonderful time making that movie: One of the highlights in my life was living in New Zealand for that year and being a part of that family," Lilly told the outlet.
The actress added, "That helped opened my eyes to the fact that, OK, this job can be a joy, it's just a matter of how you approach it, and what you do with it, how much I put myself out there, and to a certain degree, how much I work."
