Evangeline Lilly has publicly called out The Walt Disney Company over its latest round of Marvel layoffs, accusing the studio of discarding the artists who built its empire and replacing them with artificial intelligence.

The actress, who played Hope van Dyne, the Wasp, across four Marvel films, took to Instagram to voice her anger after learning that Marvel’s visual development department had been among those hardest hit in company-wide cuts that reduced Disney’s workforce by around eight per cent. 

“SHAME ON YOU for turning your back on the people who built the power you are now using to throw them away,” she wrote in her caption.

In the accompanying video, Lilly explained that she had reached out directly to Andy Park, the artist who designed the Wasp suit she wore in the original 2015 Ant-Man film, to confirm what she had seen reported. He confirmed he had been let go. 

“I can’t quite believe that Disney have let go of the artists who brought the current Marvel Universe to life through their imagination and their genius,” she said. 

“That the people who invented these characters in the first place, who designed them in the first place, are now being replaced by AI. AI that will take their designs and take what those artists created and use it to create iterations of that.”

She was direct about where she stood on the issue. 

“I am so sorry Andy, and I am so sorry to every single one of the artists who were let go in the 1000 artists that Disney fired, and particularly the entire team at Marvel who have been considered obsolete now after building the Marvel empire.” 

She added that the work these artists produced “are human creations, and they shouldn’t be stolen by tech giants so that their robots can replicate them. I think it’s disgusting and horrible, and I stand with all the artists and Andy.”

The cuts at Marvel affected most of its departments, including film and television production, comics, franchise, finance, legal and visual development, the latter being particularly hard hit, following a smaller round of redundancies in 2024.

A former Harvard scientist, who was convicted in America for lying to U.S. officials regarding payments from China, has rebuilt a high-profile brain-computer interface research lab in China.

The 67-year-old American scientist was found guilty of lying to officials about his ties with the Chinese state program to recruit overseas talent and spend two days in prison and six months under house arrest.

The scientist, Charles Lieber, a once-prominent nanoscience researcher at Harvard University, is now leading China’s state-backed i-BRAIN initiative in Shenzhen.

Lieber’s return to active research marks a dramatic turnaround for a figure once considered one of the world’s leading minds in nanoscale science.

In China, he now oversees work on brain-computer interface (BCI) systems technology designed to translate brain activity into digital commands that can control external devices such as robotic systems or computers. His work reignited global debate over how far advanced neurotechnology could go in the future of medicine and warfare.

According to the project’s description, the lab is developing non-invasive and advanced neural interface systems aimed at enabling communication between the human brain and machines.

The research is part of China’s broader push to become a global leader in next-generation neurotechnology.

China has already elevated brain-computer interfaces to a national strategic priority, with government-backed institutions investing heavily in the field and pushing for rapid commercialization.

Some trials in the country are exploring how BCIs could help patients with paralysis regain movement, while others examine broader human-machine interaction systems.

Lieber’s lab operates within the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation, where he has access to advanced nanofabrication tools and specialized research infrastructure. Chinese officials have positioned the facility as part of a wider effort to attract top global scientific talent into strategic technology sectors.

The development also comes amid growing U.S.-China competition over advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum systems, and neuroengineering. U.S. officials have previously warned that such technologies could have dual-use implications, spanning both civilian healthcare and military modernization.

Lieber has not publicly commented in detail on his new role, but has previously said his scientific goal is to advance cutting-edge research in brain interfaces and nanotechnology.

Olivia Rodrigo gave fans the first glimpse into her Saturday Night Live appearance in the teaser for her double duty episode.

The 23-year-old pop superstar appeared in a Devil Wears Prada-esque sketch with the SNL cast members where she appeared to be caught up in a “glorified secretary” position like Anne Hathaway’s Andy Sachs.

SNL star James Austin Johnson took on Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly role as he lectured Rodrigo on her mistakenly calling SNL “skits” instead of “sketches.”

The drivers license hitmaker will be taking on the role of host for the first time and musical guest for the third time this Saturday, May 2.

Rodrigo will appear on the weekend show to promote her upcoming album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, which will be released on June 12.

The Vampire songstress is believed to perform her latest release, Drop Dead, from the album, while some fans also speculate that she might debut an unreleased song during the episode.

While the SNL episode has sparked a lot of buzz, Rodrigo’s fans are also excited for the Unravel Tour ever since she made the announcement on social media.