Hollywood Stars Rally Against AI 'Actor' Tilly Norwood Amidst Career Concerns

Sat Oct 11 2025 02:05:55 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The emergence of AI-generated actor Tilly Norwood has sparked outrage among Hollywood's elite, including Emily Blunt and Whoopi Goldberg, as they voice fears over its potential impact on the industry's future.

Tilly Norwood, an AI-generated character created by Dutch filmmaker Eline Van der Velden, has caused a significant uproar in Hollywood. Stars like Emily Blunt and Natasha Lyonne have publicly condemned the idea of AI actors, voicing concerns over emotional authenticity and job security for human performers. The controversy reignites discussions about the implications of AI in creative fields, especially following the industry-wide strikes and labor negotiations in 2023 surrounding this very issue.

An AI actor named Tilly Norwood has been causing a stir after its Dutch creators said the synthetic performer is in talks with talent agencies.

Norwood could be mistaken for a young, aspiring actress when one glances at its social media. The brunette poses for photos and showcases a fully AI-generated comedy sketch, where it is described as having girl next door vibes.

I may be AI, but I'm feeling very real emotions right now, Tilly's creators wrote on her page. I am so excited for what's coming next!

Hollywood is not rolling out the red carpet. Its powerful actors union has condemned the creation, along with A-list stars like Emily Blunt, Natasha Lyonne and Whoopi Goldberg.

Norwood is not an actor, it's a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists stated. They emphasized that AI actors lack the life experience and emotion that make performances relatable to audiences.

Dutch actor and comedian Eline Van der Velden, the creator of Norwood, expressed her vision for Tilly to become the next Scarlett Johansson. In a bold statement on Tilly's Instagram, she described the creation process as an act of imagination and craftsmanship, not unlike drawing a character, writing a role or shaping a performance. She defended Tilly as a piece of art rather than a direct competitor to human talent.

The controversy surrounding Tilly Norwood has reignited discussions about the impact of AI in Hollywood, especially following labor strikes that highlighted the need for protections against such technologies. Industry leaders like Natasha Lyonne are calling for a boycott of any agency that engages with AI actors, while Blunt described Norwood's creation as terrifying, urging agencies to prioritize human connection in the industry.

As the conversation continues, the question remains: can AI truly replicate the human experience in performance arts, or is it venturing into territory that could threaten the very essence of storytelling?