As the entertainment industry teeters on the brink of a significant transformation, the introduction of the AI character Tilly Norwood has sparked a wave of discontent among Hollywood actors. Many have voiced their concerns about this potential watershed moment, expressing their dismay through social media, comments on industry publications like Deadline, and discussions with the press.
During a promotional event for her latest A24 film, The Smashing Machine, co-starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Academy Award nominee Emily Blunt was confronted with a report about Tilly Norwood. While appearing on the Variety Awards Circuit podcast, Blunt's reaction was both visceral and alarming. “No, are you serious? That’s an AI? Good Lord, we’re screwed,” she exclaimed. “That is really, really scary. Come on, agencies, don’t do that. Please stop. Please stop taking away our human connection.”
When informed that agents are hoping for Norwood to become “the next Scarlett Johansson,” Blunt pointedly remarked, “But we already have Scarlett Johansson.” Her statements reflect a growing apprehension in Hollywood regarding the potential implications of AI-generated characters.
In response to the backlash from the Hollywood community, Tilly Norwood's creator, Van der Velden, took to Instagram to clarify her intentions. “To those who have expressed anger over the creation of my AI character, Tilly Norwood, she is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work—a piece of art,” she stated. Van der Velden emphasized that Norwood is meant to ignite conversations about creativity rather than serve as a substitute for human actors.
She continued, stating that AI should not overshadow human performances, asserting that nothing can replicate the "craft or joy of human performance." Van der Velden described the creation of Tilly as “an act of imagination” and urged that AI characters should be evaluated on their own merits, rather than being directly compared to human actors. “I hope we can welcome AI as part of the wider artistic family,” she added, turning off comments on her post to mitigate further backlash.
The Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), which represents approximately 160,000 actors and media professionals, released a pointed statement regarding Tilly Norwood. They expressed their unequivocal opposition to the idea of replacing human performers with synthetic alternatives. “To be clear, ‘Tilly Norwood’ is not an actor; it’s a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers—without permission or compensation,” their statement read.
The union emphasized that AI-generated characters lack genuine life experiences and emotions, asserting that audiences are not interested in watching content devoid of the human touch. They warned that the emergence of AI actors creates more problems than it solves, particularly by jeopardizing the livelihoods of real performers and undermining the value of human artistry.
Beyond the technical implications of using computer-generated actors, many Hollywood insiders have raised ethical concerns about the implications of casting a young woman as the first AI actor. Actor Chelsea Edmundson remarked on social media, “Not surprised that the first major ‘AI actor’ is a young woman that they can fully control and make do whatever they want.”
Additionally, former child star Mara Wilson, known for her roles in Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire, questioned the ethics of using composite images of living actresses to create Tilly. “You couldn’t hire any of them?” she asked. Actor Eiza González also expressed her dismay, calling the situation “horrific and terrifying.”
As discussions surrounding AI in the entertainment industry continue to unfold, the future of Hollywood remains uncertain, with many advocating for the preservation of human artistry in the face of technological advancements.
