Curious why Ant-Man stars Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly retired from Hollywood? Douglas and Lilly both announced their exits within a year of each other. Each cited deeply personal reasons for stepping away from Hollywood.
Here’s what led to their retirements and where they are now.
Why did Ant-Man’s Michael Douglas retire from acting?
Michael Douglas stepped back from acting in 2025, stating he had “no real intentions” of returning to the screen. Speaking at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, he said, “I have not worked since 2022 purposefully because I realized I had to stop,” and added, “I did not want to be one of those people who dropped dead on the set.”
Douglas emphasized that while he is not officially retired, he is content with his decision. He said, “I’m not retired, because if something special came up, I’d go back, but otherwise, I’m quite happy. I just like to watch my wife work.” His last major roles were in 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and the 2024 Apple TV+ series Franklin. His planned film Looking Through Water, with son Cameron Douglas, remains unreleased.
He also referenced his past battle with stage 4 tongue cancer, saying, “Stage 4 cancer is not a holiday,” and revealed that he had chosen radiation and chemotherapy over surgery to preserve his speech. At the event, Douglas was honored with the Karlovy Vary award. He also presented a restored version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which he co-produced.
What did Evangeline Lilly say about retiring from acting?
Evangeline Lilly announced her retirement from acting in June 2024 via Instagram. In the post, she wrote, “I am so filled with joy and contentment today as I live out my vision… I might return to Hollywood one day, but for now, this is where I belong.”
Lilly stated she had already been on a three-year hiatus since wrapping Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in 2023 and had no active roles or contracts in Hollywood. In a 2006 throwback clip shared with the post, she had predicted, “Ten years from now, I’d like to be a retired actress and have a family.”
She is currently focused on writing The Squickerwonkers, a children’s book series, and humanitarian work with organizations like the GO Campaign and the Sierra Club. In a Substack post, she also shared that a recent beach incident resulted in facial injuries after she had fainted.
