Evangeline Lilly.Photo: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney
Evangeline Lillyis officially cool in her kids' eyes.
The mom-of-two, 43, opened up to PEOPLE about the street cred she’s gained from being a Marvelsuperhero at theAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniapremiere in Los Angeles on Monday.
“Major cool points. And I needed it so bad with my oldest son because he didn’t believe a word I ever said,” Lilly exclusively tells PEOPLE of her firstborn, Kahekili Kali, 11, who just started middle school.
“He didn’t give me credit for anything ever. Until suddenly, he got into MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) and he was like, ‘Oh, mom’s cool.'”
“And of course, the Marvel Universe is the thing in middle school,” she adds. “I mean, there is almost nothing cooler. Maybe Lil Nas X might be cooler. Or Lazarbeam. But I’m up there with all those guys.”
Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney
Lillywelcomed a second child in 2015with her longtime love, Norman Kali, a production worker she met on the set ofLost.
That same year, after a private pregnancy, she debuted her bump at the Los Angeles premiere of the firstAnt-Manmovie.
“I feel wonderful,” she told PEOPLE at the time, before admitting her days of high heels were quickly dwindling.
Lilly’s second child has since been kept out of the public eye.
Speaking to PEOPLE at the premiere ofAnt-Man’s third installment, Lilly explains the advantages of starting small with the movie franchise.
“So we went from the firstAnt-Manfilm that was really, really sweet, and innocent, and simple. Not simple, I shouldn’t say simple, but it was a small story,” she explains. “And then the second one, we introduced a second superhero with The Wasp. And we brought in an otherworldly female villain.”
This time, Lilly says they “just dove into a whole new universe. And we’re tackling a story that is sweeping and epic and is going to really launch phase five of the entire MCU. And so, that’s a pretty great trajectory.”
ForQuantumania, Lilly reprises her role as Hope Van Dyne/The Wasp, whileMichelle PfeifferandMichael Douglasreturn as her parents Janet Van Dyne and Hank Pym.Freakyactress Kathryn Newton also joins the cast as Scott’s grown-up daughter Cassie Lang alongsideBill Murray, withPaul Ruddreturning as Scott Lang/Ant-Man.
Marvel/ Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
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“Oh man, Jonathan Majors has such an intense energy,” Lilly shares with PEOPLE about Majors’ impact in the film. “He is a very serious actor. And when he comes to set, he brings all of that intensity with him.”
“Acting opposite him, you have no choice but to come into his orb, come into his energy field, and feel that, and know that, and play with that,” she continues. “And I think it translates on screen. He’s an anchor. He’s like wrought iron. He’s heavy. He’s got weight to him.”
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniais scheduled to hit movie theaters on Feb. 17
source: people.com
