The Wasp In Smallville? Evangeline Lilly's Shocking Uncredited Role And Recent Career Hiatus

The convergence of two major fandoms—the early days of Superman and the iconic cast of Lost—has created one of the most fascinating trivia facts in modern television history. As of December 2025, a resurfaced detail confirms that global superstar Evangeline Lilly, known for her leading roles as Kate Austen and The Wasp, had a quiet, uncredited start in the DC universe, long before she joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This article dives deep into her blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance on The CW's hit series Smallville, a fact recently brought to light by the show's own stars.

The timing of this revelation is particularly poignant, given the news that Evangeline Lilly has announced she is taking an "indefinite hiatus" from Hollywood and acting to "live out her vision," a major career shift that she revealed in June 2024. Her early, uncredited work in shows like Smallville and films like Freddy vs. Jason now serves as a powerful reminder of her journey from a background extra to one of the industry's most recognizable leading ladies, making her brief time in Smallville a true Hollywood Easter egg.

Evangeline Lilly: Complete Biography and Recent Career Update

Nicole Evangeline Lilly, a Canadian actress and author, has built a career defined by strong, complex female characters across major film and television franchises. Her journey from a humanitarian worker and background actor to a global star is a testament to her unique talent and perseverance. Here is a comprehensive look at her profile and the latest news surrounding her career.

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• Full Name: Nicole Evangeline Lilly
• Born: August 3, 1979
• Birthplace: Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada
• Nationality: Canadian
• Early Life: Spent time as a flight attendant and did humanitarian work before acting.
• Breakout Role: Kate Austen in the critically acclaimed ABC series Lost (2004–2010).
• Major Film Roles (Theatrical):
  • Tauriel in *The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug* (2013)
  • Tauriel in *The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies* (2014)
  • Hope van Dyne / The Wasp in *Ant-Man* (2015)
  • Hope van Dyne / The Wasp in *Ant-Man and the Wasp* (2018)
  • Hope van Dyne / The Wasp in *Avengers: Endgame* (2019)
  • Hope van Dyne / The Wasp in *Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania* (2023)
• Other Early Uncredited Roles: Background work in *Freddy vs. Jason* (2003) and *The Lizzie McGuire Movie* (2003).
• Authorial Work: Published the children's book series *The Squickerwonkers*.
• Recent News (2024): Announced an indefinite hiatus from acting via an Instagram post, citing a desire to focus on her personal life and humanitarian work.

The Untold Story: Evangeline Lilly's Uncredited Role in Smallville

Before she was running from the smoke monster on the Island or shrinking to save the world as The Wasp, Evangeline Lilly was a working actress in Vancouver, Canada, where the early seasons of Smallville were filmed. Like many aspiring actors in the city, she took on roles as a background extra to gain experience and pay the bills. This is how she ended up on the set of the Superman prequel series.

Lilly's appearances were entirely uncredited and often lasted only a few seconds, making them nearly impossible to spot without prior knowledge. She is reported to have appeared in several episodes across the first three seasons of Smallville, but one episode, in particular, has become the definitive sighting for fans and pop culture historians: Season 1, Episode 13, "Kinetic."

In "Kinetic," which aired in 2002, Lilly plays the very minor, named role of "Wade's Girlfriend." The character appears briefly in a scene with Whitney Fordman, Lana Lang's boyfriend, showcasing the kind of small, non-speaking parts that fill out the world of a major television production. The fact that a future A-list star like Lilly was once standing in the background of a high school drama scene is a fascinating piece of Hollywood lore.

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Finding Kate Austen: Where to Spot Evangeline Lilly in Smallville Episodes

For dedicated fans of Smallville looking to spot the future star, the search is a fun, albeit quick, exercise in observation. Her appearances are fleeting, but the excitement of finding a global superstar in an unexpected early role is the ultimate payoff. The most confirmed and easiest sighting is in the aforementioned episode, but her work as a background actress means she may be visible in other, less obvious moments.

Smallville Season 1, Episode 13: "Kinetic"

This is the prime target for fans. Evangeline Lilly appears as "Wade's Girlfriend," a character connected to the episode's plot involving a group of small-time criminals who use meteor rock to gain powers. Look for her in the scenes involving the group's lair or social interactions. Her brief appearance here is the most substantial of her known work on the series.

Smallville Season 1 and 2: Other Background Appearances

It is widely believed that Lilly worked as a general extra on the Vancouver sets for multiple episodes during the first two seasons. This means she could be spotted as a student in the halls of Smallville High School, a patron at the Talon coffee shop, or a bystander in a Metropolis street scene. These roles were simply to fill out the environment and are not documented in detail, making them a true deep-cut for continuity experts and fans of her early career.

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Fresh Details from the Talk Ville Podcast

The long-forgotten detail of Evangeline Lilly’s time on Smallville was recently revitalized and confirmed by the people who were there. Tom Welling (who played Clark Kent) and Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor) discussed the cameo on their popular rewatch podcast, *Talk Ville: The Ultimate Smallville Rewatch*. This is the most current and authoritative confirmation of the story.

During their rewatch of "Kinetic," the hosts paused to acknowledge the now-famous extra. Michael Rosenbaum mentioned that he was aware of the story and that it was a fun piece of trivia for the dedicated fanbase. The discussion not only confirmed the appearance but also provided a fresh, modern context for the event, introducing the obscure fact to a new generation of fans. The podcast’s focus on the uncredited role validates the curiosity surrounding her appearance and solidifies it as a genuine part of *Smallville* and Lilly’s career history.

The fact that an actress who would go on to lead a major franchise like *Lost* and become a key figure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Hope van Dyne, or The Wasp, started with uncredited work on a show like *Smallville* is a powerful narrative. It highlights the grind of the early acting years and the sheer luck and talent required to transition from a background extra to a global icon. For fans, it's a delightful Easter egg, a moment where the past and future of Hollywood briefly intersected in the halls of Smallville High.