Here’s the tea on the response to Evangeline Lilly’s recent tea pic: It’s not great.
Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Ant-Man actor recently posted on Instagram that it’s just business as usual for her, adding an image of her #morningtea with a caption saying she had dropped her kids off at gymnastics camp.
“They all washed their hands before going in. They are playing and laughing. #businessasusual,” Evangeline wrote.
Given that health officials at all levels have urged self-isolating or social distancing as an essential way of preventing the spread of the virus, some commenters were understandably upset.
Responding to a comment voicing concern that the 40-year-old star wasn’t staying home and social distancing, the actor noted that her father has Stage 4 Leukemia and she’s also immune-compromised, but “some people value their lives over freedom, some people value freedom over their lives”:
I am living with my father at the moment, who has stage four lukemia. I am also immune compromised at the moment. I have two young kids. Some people value their lives over freedom, some people value freedom over their lives. We all make our choices. With love and respect.
The commenter brought up how it’s not just Evangeline’s life that she has to be concerned with, considering how contagious the disease is, and she replied again, saying the two of them would probably share a lot of similar views and she’s always “considering and reconsidering” her position.
However, the former Lost actor added that the current situation feels too close to the imposition of “Marshall Law” (sic ― that would be martial law) over “respiratory flu”:
Where we are right now feels a lot too close to Marshall Law for my comfort already, all in the name of a respiratory flu. It’s unnerving. I appreciate your engagement and the meaningful discourse. Let’s be vigilant right now. And kind. Watchful and gracious - keeping a close eye on our leaders, making sure they don’t abuse this moment to steal away more freedoms and grab more power, but gracious with each other as we try to navigate the unknown dangers of a modern, global world and power structure. Stay in touch. We’re in this together. Thank you for listening. I have heard you.
After Page Six reported on the comments, it went about as well as you’d expect on Twitter.
Some even brought up the recent news that Evangeline’s former Lost co-star Daniel Dae Kim had recently tested positive for coronavirus.
Daniel recently took to Instagram himself to talk about having COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and the importance of self-isolating.
“For all those out there, especially teenagers and millennials who think this is not serious, please know that it is,” he said.
“And if you treat this without care, you are potentially endangering the lives of millions of people including your loved ones, so for the sake of everyone else please follow the guidelines: socially distance, self-isolate, stop touching your face and, of course, wash your hands.”
Evangeline may not be into self-quarantining, but given the response and Daniel’s poignant video, she might want to social distance herself from social media.