Evangeline Lilly apologizes for her insensitive Instagram post about the coronavirus pandemic and refusal to adhere to social distancing.
COVID-19 has spread across the globe and in recent weeks it has had huge impacts throughout the US. With stay at home orders or shelter in place orders becoming more common and many businesses being shut down the country has been put on hold.
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The entertainment world has largely been shut down with productions of all kind being halted for an indeterminate amount of time. Most are following the public health mandates and many in Hollywood are even encouraging people to follow the social distancing mandates, but there are a few that haven’t quite grasped the seriousness of the situation. Especially considering the U.S. now has the most confirmed cases in the world.
On March 16th, Evangeline Lilly posted a picture of her morning tea on Instagram with the caption, “Just dropped my kids off at gymnastics camp. They all washed their hands before going in. They are playing as usual. #businessasusual”. At the time of her post, a stay-at-home or shelter-in-place order had not been put into effect where she lived, but the entire country was being told to practice social distancing. For many fans, this post came off as tone deaf and dismissive of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lily attempted to defend her position by downplaying the deadly pandemic as a “respiratory virus”.
Eleven days later and this is clearly not the case. With more states ordering shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders and the death toll rising in the U.S. the Ant Man & The Wasp actress has realized her mistake.
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She posted a lengthy apology on Instagram Thursday to try and express her thoughts about the current health crisis and regrets for her flippant remarks earlier. Lilly’s post features a picture of her family playing a board game and says, “I am writing you from my home where I have been social distancing since Mar 18th – when social distancing was instituted in the small community where I am currently living.”
Evangeline Lilly’s Apology Post
Evangeline Lilly admits to being “dismissive” and “arrogant” and she makes it clear using all caps, “PLEASE KNOW I AM DOING MY PART TO FLATTEN THE CURVE, PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING AND STAYING HOME WITH MY FAMILY.” The Lost actress’ need to be clear makes sense, given the public criticism she has faced for a week and a half.
Part of this criticism was tied to her former Lost co-star Daniel Dae Kim testing positive or COVID-19. She has not commented on his illness at this time. Lilly apologized for her insensitivity to the fears and suffering that this pandemic has created. She says that while at the time “I thought I was infusing calm into the hysteria. I can see now that I was projecting my own fears into an already fearful and traumatic situation.”
Lily continued with “I am grieved by the ongoing loss of life, and the impossible decisions medical workers around the world must make as they treat those affected.”
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While her initial comments were clearly inconsiderate and ill-informed, her apology appears sincere and the actress is now adhering to the stay-at-home order. Lily ends by sharing some wisdom a friend told her about social distancing when she herself was fighting against the notion “do it out of love, not fear”. A sentiment that we should all take to heart in this difficult time that looks like it will be continuing for a while longer.
What do you think about Evangeline Lilly’s new outlook? Let us know on the comment boards and on social media!
