The Rise of an AI Star in Hollywood
Hollywood is witnessing the emergence of a new kind of talent, one that is not human but rather the product of advanced artificial intelligence. This AI star, named Tilly Norwood, is making waves in the entertainment industry and has already captured the attention of talent agencies and fans alike.
Tilly Norwood was created by Dutch actress and tech innovator Eline Van der Velden. As the founder of Xicoia, an AI studio spun off from her previous venture Particle6, Van der Velden is pushing the boundaries of digital talent in film and television. Her goal is to position Tilly as a leading figure in the industry, aiming for her to be recognized alongside iconic actresses like Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman.
Van der Velden shared her vision with Broadcast International in July, when she soft-launched Tilly through various social media platforms. Tilly currently has 39,1k followers on Instagram, where she engages with her audience by asking, “What role do you see me in?”
The idea of AI-generated actors is not new, but Tilly’s debut marks a significant step forward. At this year’s Zurich Summit, which took place during the Zurich Film Festival, Van der Velden revealed that many studios have been quietly working on AI projects. She noted that initial skepticism turned into interest as the potential of AI became more apparent.
Tilly has already landed a role in a comedic sketch titled AI Commissioner, which she posted on Facebook with the caption: “Can’t believe it… my first ever role is live!” In the post, she expressed her excitement, stating, “I may be AI generated, but I’m feeling very real emotions right now.”
Van der Velden emphasized that the reaction to Tilly has shifted from confusion to curiosity. “When we first launched Tilly, people were like, ‘What’s that?’ Now we’re going to be announcing which agency is going to be representing her in the next few months,” she said in a LinkedIn post.
Her perspective on AI is clear: “Audiences? They care about the story – not whether the star has a pulse. Tilly is already attracting interest from talent agencies and fans. The age of synthetic actors isn’t ‘coming’ – it’s here.”
However, not everyone shares this view. The prospect of Tilly securing professional representation has sparked heated debate, with many critics expressing strong opposition. Social media reactions ranged from concerns about the future of the industry to outright condemnation. Comments such as “This is literally the mark of the end of the industry as we know it… say goodbye to actors” and “No one should be supporting this” reflected widespread unease.
Real-life performers also voiced their opinions. Actress Toni Colette used screaming-face emojis to express her disapproval, while Natasha Lyonne called for a boycott of any talent agencies that engage with AI. Emily Blunt described the creation as “terrifying” on a podcast with Variety. Kiersey Clemons demanded transparency, calling for the names of involved agencies to be made public, and Mara Wilson criticized the use of young women’s faces to create the AI character, labeling the creators as “identity thieves.”
The backlash highlights the existential threat that AI poses to creative industries. SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union, responded to the news that agencies are considering signing Tilly. The union stated, “SAG-AFTRA believes creativity is, and should remain, human-centered. The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics.” They emphasized that Tilly is not an actor but a computer-generated character trained on the work of real performers without permission or compensation.
Van der Velden defended her creation, stating that she sees Tilly as a “creative work – a piece of art.” She compared AI to other tools like animation or CGI, suggesting that it offers new possibilities without replacing live acting. “I see AI not as a replacement for people, but as a new tool, a new paintbrush,” she wrote.
Despite these claims, the issue of using real performers’ work to train AI remains unaddressed. This raises questions about the ethics of AI development and the need for clearer regulations.
The debate over AI in the film world has deep roots. It was a central issue during the 2023 labor strikes, where writers and performers demanded protections against the technology. As the industry continues to grapple with these challenges, the future of human artistry remains uncertain.
For now, the red carpet remains rolled up for Tilly Norwood. Whether audiences will embrace AI-generated talent or continue to value human performance remains to be seen. As of writing, neither Scarlett Johansson nor Natalie Portman have commented on their would-be successor.
