Evangeline Lilly is offering her "sincere and heartfelt apology" for recent comments she made about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic – and she's doing so from her home where she is, in fact, social distancing.
The Ant-Man and the Wasp actress took to Instagram last week to explain why she would be continuing "business as usual" amid calls to quarantine. ("Some people value their lives over freedom, some people value freedom over their lives," she wrote.) Following widespread criticism, Lilly is explaining herself and vowing to do her part to flatten the curve.
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"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," she captioned a photo of her family playing a board game.
Lilly claims that when she shared her original post, she was actively following directives to avoid groups of more than 250 people and regularly wash hands. "Two days later, those directives changed," she wrote. "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."
On Thursday, she also acknowledged the "very real suffering and fear" resulting from COVID-19 and apologized for any additional hurt her previous message may have caused.
"My direct and special apologies to those most affected by this pandemic. I never meant to hurt you," Lilly wrote. "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."
"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," she concluded. "Sending love to all of you, even if you can't return it right now."
Lilly's apology comes after Sophie Turner seemingly slammed her during a live stream ("I don't give a F about your freedom") and former Lost co-star Daniel Dae Kim spoke out about testing positive for coronavirus.
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