AI Actress Tilly Norwood Sparks Hollywood Controversy At Film Festival Debut

Dutch technologist Eline van der Velden introduced AI actress Tilly Norwood at the Zurich Film Festival as part of her new AI talent studio Xicoia. She told an interviewer in July: "We want Tilly to be the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman, that's the aim of what we're doing." She also explained on LinkedIn that "Budgets are shrinking. Content demand is rising. Audiences? They care about the story — not whether the star has a pulse." Hollywood actors responded with immediate backlash. Melissa Barrera wrote: "Hope all actors repped by the agent that does this, drop their a$$." Mara Wilson questioned: "And what about the hundreds of living young women whose faces were composited together to make her?" Lukas Gage joked Norwood was a "nightmare to work with!!!!" Nonetheless, Van der Velden says she is in discussions with Hollywood agents who want to sign the AI actress. (Story URL)