Marvel star shares gruesome facial injury after horror fall

actress Evangeline Lilly has revealed shocking photos of her bloodied and bruised face after suffering a horrific fall during a beach trip. The 45-year-old star, best known for playing Kate Austen in Lost and Hope van Dyne in Marvel's Ant-Man franchise, shared the painful aftermath of the accident that left fans stunned. The actress showed off her gruesome injuries on social media, including visible cuts and swelling on her face, as she revealed she had to be rushed to hospital following the fall.

The Ant-Man star opened up about the terrifying ordeal in a post to her Instagram page on Friday, explaining how she fainted during a day at the beach and fell face-first into a boulder. "I fainted at the beach. And fell face first into a boulder," she explained. She continued: "At the hospital, the nurses and doctor went straight into action, more determined to find the cause of my blackout than to stitch up the hole punctured into my face by the rock.

"I smiled wryly at them. 'You won't find anything.' I said with a woozy voice..." she added.

Lilly later shared more about the scare in a candid Substack post, where she revealed she'd suffered from "absent" and "fainting spells" since childhood.

She explained how she was once tested for epilepsy, but doctors eventually landed on a diagnosis of hypoglycemia-without conducting any formal tests.

"For a good chunk of my life, I went with that - hypoglycemia. It added up - my metabolism is through the roof and I metabolize sugars, particularly, with [shocking] efficiency," she said, according to Us Weekly.

Despite this, the actress admitted that the root cause of her blackouts is still a mystery.

She added: "I have come to believe that this 'checking out' is a result of my little soul reaching her limit of what she feels she can cope with in this life, and she 'leaves the building,' so to speak."

In another emotional passage, Lilly wrote: "That when she has had enough, when the pain becomes too great, the stresses beyond overwhelming, the shattered idealism crushing, my soul exits my body and returns to pure spirit."

Fans flooded her Instagram post with messages of support. One wrote: "Oh my goodness Evangeline! I am sending you all of the healing energy in the world. Take it easy! We're all here for you."

Another commented: "Thank you so much for talking about this. Thinking of you." A third added: "Hope you're feeling better and heal up quickly inside and out."

Lilly later replied: "Thank you all for your beautiful well wishes."

The accident and health update come after the actress announced her retirement from acting last year, following two decades in the industry.

Reflecting on her decision at the time, she said: "I am so filled with joy and contentment today as I live out my vision. 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."

She added: "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."