An AI actress named Tilly Norwood is being criticized by Hollywood actors and their union. The white, brown-eyed brunette creation represents a new technology that many believe threatens the jobs, creative contributions, and livelihoods of real human actors. Tilly, created by the European AI company Particle6, has been promoted as potential talent for agency representation and roles in film and TV, sparking immediate backlash from actors, unions, and industry figures.
Many high-profile actors, including Emily Blunt and Whoopi Goldberg, as well as the actors' union SAG-AFTRA, have condemned the use of Tilly Norwood. The union said in a statement, "It's a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers — without permission or compensation. It has no life experience to draw from, no emotion and, from what we've seen, audiences aren't interested in watching computer-generated content untethered from the human experience."
Emily Blunt commented during a Variety podcast: “Does it disappoint me? I don’t know how to quite answer it, other than to say how terrifying this is.” When she was then shown an image of the AI actress, she said: “No, are you serious? That’s an AI? Good Lord, we’re screwed. That is really, really scary. Come on, agencies, don’t do that. Please stop. Please stop taking away our human connection.”
Although the AI's creator, Particle6 founder Eline Van der Velden, insists that Tilly is meant as "a work of creativity — a piece of art" rather than a true replacement for actors, she also said a number of entertainment companies have expressed interest in signing deals with brunette creation, which further instills industry fears about the potential for AI to replace human talent.
The controversy revives unresolved issues from recent Hollywood strikes, where the use of AI to replicate or replace writers’ and actors’ work was a major point of contention. Unions argue that AI-driven roles risk undermining hard-won contractual protections for human artistry.
Actors and SAG/AFTRA and calling for boycotts of agencies or studios that collaborate with Tilly Norwood. Some criticize it as "deeply misguided," viewing the creation of AI actors as exploitative and devaluing the richness and nuance of human storytelling.
Would you go see a movie that uses AI actors? Tell us in the comments below. ~Alexandra Heilbron
AI is very concerning. They can create her to lose weight, put on weight, have a drastic hairstyle, be older, younger, the possibilities are endless and much easier to do than with an actor. However, if it's like that movie in which they had a version of Will Smith that was younger, then they can forget it, that was awful.
I am so against this. Put her in cartoon shows but not on main stream movies. No I would not go see her in a movie. Adding an AI into a movie would be awkward for the live actor to be playing against someone not there. The human interaction is gone and the performance lessens. And when it comes to award season, how can one say this was an actor/actress worthy of receiving the award. Heck I won't even use the checkouts where I have to do all the work. I would then be taking a job away from a paid employee and before long, the employee is no longer there.
Absolutely not. I would not pay one dollar to watch an AI actor. If this is accepted, this will be just the beginning of undermining many other facets in the entertainment area.
I am not against it.. nor am I necessarily for it.. I would have to see it in action. Just looking at a photo doesn't mean much. Mind you most of the movies these days are crap anyway.. so AI crap vs human crap.. who cares.. In the end we have to see the final product, if people watch the AI movies that is their decision.. just because you use "real" people does not guarantee a better product..
The moment I know that an AI actor/actress is being used in a movie I will not go see it. I will boycott any studio that chooses to move in this direction.
Bad enough most critically acclaimed Movies Suck. But no way would I pay to see an AI creation. Out her in a Cartoon where she belongs.
Between woke and AI, all the Hollywood elite will soon see how normal people live. In the normal world, we don't have the money or time to make believe we know how other people should think or live.
I can see more scenes with even more realistic violence, rape, and murders, of women. This could be truly terrible. You once could only believe what you saw with your own eyes, now you truly can not believe anything.
I would absolutely never support this or go see it. It’s bad enough how many jobs are being replaced in society today. People don’t realize for example using self check out is someone’s job or hours cut. I don’t understand why people don’t see this. Pretty soon robots will be doing everything. Or we will do everything ourselves irritates me. Now they want our entertainment computer generated. No thanks
The complexities of human behavior will always be more interesting and relatable than a robot, with limited abilities , acting out emotions, and conjecturing dialogue, with facial and body expressions, learned from past experiences, and learned skills. It would be interesting to see an AI actor, pull off a drama, with depth, and relatability. The same would be in comedy as well.
I would never watch a show/movie with AI actors. Fans like to dream about being with their fav actor/actress and that being said, at least it's an actual person. Even though the chance is small, there is still a chance. With AI, being with their fav actor/actress will never happen, not even a chance. It distorts their reality between real and fake.
AI? No way. The time is approaching when the world's AIs and people will engage in a conflict, as AIs will believe there is no need for people anymore.
Big deal. Hollywood is outraged again. No one cares ! They have been overpaid forever for pretending!!
I think AI is fine for animated films - as long as royalties are paid to the people it uses to generate images. Outside of its use to enhance special effects, AI and its actors/extras have no place conventional films.
It's very chilling. Not interested in seeing an AI version in a film. I do not like interacting with AI on the phone or using any non human check outs. I'm real and I insist on reality.
Of course all of Hollywood is against AI Tilly. No personal drama on the set? Which director is against giving cues to an "actress" that will actually listen to him? It's here now and coming with a vengeance in all walks of life. Get used to to it, like it or not.
Why is this so terrifying? Obviously it was coming. Why would so-called artists be immune but welders, waiters, software engineers, brick layers, and so many more are replaced by AI and that's called progress, right? F--- those Hollywood assholes. They had it to good for too long as it is.
Hard pass, as if there isn't enough fakery already. Not to say there won't be a market for it.
Interesting. Many of the comments sound as if they were AI generated. Opinions without thought, relying on cliches, little evidence of human experience or critical thinking. We’re on our way, folks.