Playing a character for a long period of time usually gives actors a good understanding of their role. There are times, however, in which a character becomes a tricky puzzle, leaving their performer struggling to fully get their part. That is what happened to Ant-Man and the Wasp star Evangeline Lilly with Hope van Dyne.
Lilly made her MCU debut as Hope in 2015's Ant-Man, and she later reprised the role in Ant-Man and the Wasp and Avengers: Endgame. Despite her relatively long tenure as the character, the actress recently opened up to The Hollywood Reporter, revealing that, up until Quantumania, she didn't really get Hope van Dyne. As she explained to the trade, though, reading the film's script gave her the clarity she needed to fully understand the flying crime-fighter:
"Hope is an odd enigma for me. But the truth is that I find it harder to know and understand Hope than any other character I’ve ever played before [...] And I will say that after I read the script of [Quantumania], I did have a kind of eureka moment; I said to [Director Peyton Reed], ‘Oh my God, I think I finally get her.’ So I’m hoping that when we come to wrap and when I see the movie, I’m going to know the difference."
It's worth noting that Lilly recently praised Quantumania scribe Jeff Loveness, calling him a "phenomenal" screenwriter. Given the comments, her love for the script may have, in part, stemmed from the fact that it helped her see Wasp in a new light.
Lilly also discussed her knowledge of the MCU while talking to People, revealing that she doesn't really keep up with everything that happens in the franchise:
"I don't actually watch all the Marvel stuff and I don't always know what's going on completely in the Marvel Universe [...] Maybe I shouldn't admit that, but I don't."
While this may be surprising to some, it's reasonable for her not to be aware of every single detail of the franchise given how massive it has become. Her limited knowledge of the MCU also doesn't impact her portrayal of Hope. In fact, it speaks volumes of the actress' commitment to the hero that she's been working toward understanding her, especially seeing how complicated of a journey she's had.
Hope started out as a character with a lot of demons, having rejected her father due to his handling of his mother's death, and (rightfully) feeling left out when Hank Pym sought out Scott Lang to use the Ant-Man suit instead of her. After that, she got the opportunity to save her mother. Now, with her Wasp powers, her parents and Scott by her side, she seems to have everything she had ever wanted.
It's a roller-coaster ride of an arc, and it will be interesting to see how it continues in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, especially with the tiny heroes coming up against a threat as big as Kang the Conqueror.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania flies into theaters on February 17, 2023.