Evangeline Lilly, who played The Wasp in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, denounced Disney for laying off visual effects artists as it integrates AI.
The actress shared her thoughts about the recent layoffs at the studio in a post on Instagram Thursday. Lilly took particular issue with Disney laying off Marvel’s director of visual development Andy Park, a member of the Marvel Studios family for 16 years.
“I reached out to my good friend Andy Park, who was the genius behind creating the original Wasp super-suit and concept drawings, and I said, ‘Is this true? Is this really what’s happening?’” Lilly said. “He said, ‘Yeah, it’s true.’ I can’t quite believe that… that Disney has let go of the artists who brought the Marvel Universe to life through their genius and that the people who invented these characters and who designed them are being replaced by AI.”
“AI that will take their designs and take what they created and use it to create iterations of that. I am so sorry, Andy. I am so sorry to every one of the artists who were let go,” she continued.
Lilly’s Instagram caption event went as far to say, “Disney, SHAME ON YOU for turning your back on the people who built the power you are now using to throw them away.”
“Where are the laws that REMOVE all human art from the AI bank?!?” the Lost star asked. “Why do they get to steal our brilliance and use it to make executives rich while the artists responsible for feeding their robots go hungry?? Disgusting. California lawmakers…where are you?!?!?”
Lilly also praised the VFX artists “who designed and brought to life the glory days of Marvel… I was there. I know what you did. I know how passionately you worked round the clock to make magic happen. You are the magicians, no matter what the Wizards of our new Oz make it look like going forward. I will never forget.”