‘We’re Screwed’: Hollywood Angry About AI Actors
Tilly Norwood, an AI “actor” who is reportedly seeking legitimate Hollywood representation.Courtesy of Particle6.
Hollywood is pushing back against the arrival of Tilly Norwood, an “AI actor” designed to resemble the classic girl next door, according to a BBC report. The character was created by Dutch actor and comedian Eline Van der Velden and has been gaining attention on social media, where she appears in AI-generated comedy sketches and polished headshots, often accompanied by tongue-in-cheek remarks about “feeling very real emotions.”
But Norwood’s rising profile has sparked sharp criticism from the entertainment industry. The actors’ union SAG-AFTRA denounced the project, describing her as “a character generated by a computer program trained on the work of countless professional performers.” The union warns that such AI creations lack the lived experience and emotional depth of real actors—and could ultimately put human jobs at risk.
Several well-known stars have spoken out as well. Natasha Lyonne, who has been working on her own “ethical AI” project aimed at supporting real actors, urged a boycott of any agencies collaborating with Norwood, calling the effort “deeply misguided.” Emily Blunt was visibly unsettled after seeing footage of the AI, remarking, “That’s an AI? Good Lord, we’re screwed. That is really, really scary.” Whoopi Goldberg also added her voice to the opposition.
Van der Velden, however, insists that Norwood was never intended to replace real performers, describing her instead as a digital art project—something more akin to drawing a character, writing a role, or shaping a performance.
Some commentators believe the panic may be overstated. Writing in The Guardian, Stuart Heritage noted that Norwood has so far only appeared in a single fully AI-generated comedy sketch that failed to gain major traction. Still, he said, the concept raises troubling questions: “Imagine a creation that is completely pliant to the wishes of directors and producers. No ego. No creative input. No huge salary or inconvenient aging to deal with.”
Meanwhile, an AI and media expert told NBC News that Norwood’s presence is best viewed as little more than a “gimmick” for now.
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