Evangeline Lilly Explains Why She Just Attended an Anti-COVID Vaccine Rally

Evangeline Lilly would like to tell her side of the story. The actress -- best known for her roles on Lost and in The Ant-Man and the Wasp -- has come under extreme fire this week after she attended an anti-COVID vaccine rally in Washington DC. Not that she's running away from her stance on this topic. Lily herself shared photos from the protest on Thursday, explaining that she was present for the event "to support bodily sovereignty." "I believe nobody should ever be forced to inject their body with anything, against their will," the star write in the caption, prior to listing what she maintains are consequences to not getting the vaccine, including: "Violent attacks," loss of employment and education, "alienation from loved ones" and "excommunication from society." Lilly is documenting here how the vaccine controversy has affected those in society who are choosing NOT to get it. "This is not the way. This is not safe. This is not healthy. This is not love," she continued. "I understand the world is in fear, but I don't believe that answering fear with force will fix our problems." Lilly, who shares two kids with The Hobbit actor Norman Kali, added: "I was pro choice before COVID and I am still pro choice today." She inclided the hashtag #medicalfreedom along with her controversial message. At the outside of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the actress also garnered backlash after telling her followers that she believed COVID-19 was akin to the flu. She walked back this take about a week later, however, clarifying that she was practicing social distancing and writing: "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." To date, more than 870,000 people have died from the novel coronavirus in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that a recent surge of cases from the Omicron variant has led to an increased importance for vaccines and booster shots. These vaccines have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and there are no long-term side effects.Those who are up to date on their vaccines and booster shots are EXTREMELY unlikely to suffer from any serious symptoms related to this virus, as over 95% of those dying from it are not vaccinated.