COVID-19 has been incredibly difficult on the planet. Businesses are closing down, concerts, shows and movies are cancelled, cities are starting to enact mandatory quarantines, and people are practicing social distancing. Reactions have been all over the board, from fear to anger to denial to downright complacency and idiocy on the matter. People of every walk of life are being affected and the death toll is unfortunately rising. And celebrities are not exempt, as many have been affected, like Tom Hanks and Idris Alba. But, celebrities are in a unique position to spread light on this pandemic, reaching mass amounts of followers and fans. But, with great power comes great responsibility, and sometimes a celebrity can put their foot in their mouth. Case in point; Ant-Man and the Wasp star Evangeline Lilly.
Lilly posted to her Instagram talking about not quarantining herself or her family and valuing ‘freedom over life’. However, the backlash she received has been immense, even from her colleagues, and she has now posted an apology for her ill-timed words.
Hello everyone.
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. At the time of my Mar 16th post, the directives from the authorities here were that we not congregate in groups of more than 250ppl and that we wash our hands regularly, which we were doing. Two days later, those directives changed and, despite my intense trepidation over the socioeconomic and political repercussions of this course of action, PLEASE KNOW I AM DOING MY PART TO FLATTEN THE CURVE, PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING AND STAYING HOME WITH MY FAMILY.
I want to offer my sincere and heartfelt apology for the insensitivity I showed in my previous post to the very real suffering and fear that has gripped the world through COVID19. Grandparents, parents, children, sisters and brothers are dying, the world is rallying to find a way to stop this very real threat, and my ensuing silence has sent a dismissive, arrogant and cryptic message. My direct and special apologies to those most affected by this pandemic. I never meant to hurt you. When I wrote that post 10 days ago, 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.
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. I am concerned for our communities – small businesses and families living paycheck-to-paycheck – and I am trying to follow responsible recommendations for how to help. Like many of you, I fear for the political aftermath of this pandemic, and I am praying for us all. At the same time, I am heartened by the beauty and humanity I see so many people demonstrating toward one another in this vulnerable time. When I was grappling with my own fears over social distancing, one kind, wise and gracious person said to me “do it out of love, not fear” and it helped me to realize my place in all of this.
Sending love to all of you, even if you can’t return it right now. EL
Whether you take this as a genuine apology due to ignorance on the disease or simply an actress trying to cover her ass and save her career is up to you. But, one thing is clear, this pandemic is affecting everyone on Earth, and we need to be vigilant and do the right thing.
What do you think of Lilly’s apology? Let us know in the comments below!