Hollywood is up against AI actors. The unions are taking to the streets with rallies. Big actors like Emily Blunt, Natasha Lyonne, and Whoopi Goldberg are being vocal about the situation. All are making the headlines everywhere. The rage started when a Dutch creator made a super-realistic AI actress named Tilly Norwood. Later, she was pitched to several agencies and a Hollywood project (although there is no confirmation yet), according to reports (according to the BBC). So what was the reaction of these actors? Will AI actors take over Hollywood one day? Learn more.
What’s Happening?
The fear of replacing humans has just reached Hollywood. A Dutch comedian and actress named Eline Van der Velden created an AI-generated character called Tilly Norwood. She has her own Instagram account, and it’s quite a buzz. She poses for photos, does skits and even spoofs BBC shows. She is popularly marketed as having “girl next door vibes.”
Why Is Hollywood Angry?
Most of Hollywood, along with the SAG-AFTRA union (Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists), is furious. Here’s why:
- The Union’s View: She is not an actor; she is a computer program trained to act like a real one.
- Union says that it has no real feelings or life experiences.
- It stresses that the audiences won’t like anything “fake” and stories without human emotions.
- Hiring her would actually break the contracts Hollywood workers fought for in the 2023 strikes.
- The strike was also about AI protections.
- The union condemns the situation, calling it “stolen performances” because the AI indirectly learns from the real actors’ expressions and voices. And the fear of replacing the actors and jobs.
Hollywood Stars’ Reactions
- Natasha Lyonne (from Orange Is the New Black and Russian Doll) reacted by saying that any talent agency working with Tilly should be boycotted. Furthermore, she calls the idea “deeply misguided & totally disturbed.”
- Emily Blunt (Oscar-nominated actress), reacting to a video of Tilly Norwood, said, “That’s an AI? Good Lord, we’re screwed… Please stop taking away our human connection.”
- Whoopi Goldberg (on The View) reached the conclusion that she isn’t worried at all about the AI. According to her, they don’t move or act like humans, as the faces, bodies, and movements are not similar.
What Does the Creator Say?
Eline Van der Velden, who made Tilly, says that:
- Tilly is not meant to replace humans and is just a piece of art. She compared it to drawing a cartoon or writing a character.
- She stressed that making Tilly was “an act of imagination and craftsmanship.”
- She urged the public to view it as a new genre, rather than as a competitor to human actors.
- On the contrary, at a Zurich summit last weekend, Eline Van der Velden openly announced her AI production studio and new AI talent agency (Xicoia).
- She even hinted that Hollywood is secretly working on AI projects and a major announcement will be coming soon.
Why Does This Matter?
- Background: In 2023, Hollywood saw big strikes about AI replacing writers and actors.
- Now: Tilly Norwood is the fear come true. It is a treat for the hardworking actors.
- The Risk: If any Hollywood project comes to fruition, it will mark the beginning of the end for real actors, and many more will adapt to the change.
Leave a Reply