Hollywood Divided Over AI Actor Tilly Norwood: Leading Stars Voice Concerns

Sun Oct 19 2025 20:06:36 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A wave of outrage sweeps through Hollywood as stars like Emily Blunt criticize the introduction of Tilly Norwood, the AI actor poised to disrupt the industry. The debate raises questions about emotion, artistry, and the future of human actors in a tech-driven entertainment landscape.

The emergence of an AI actor named Tilly Norwood is stirring strong reactions in Hollywood. Prominent figures such as Emily Blunt and Natasha Lyonne have openly condemned the creation, voicing concerns about the impact on human actors and the authenticity of performances. As Tilly's creators pitch the AI as a legitimate talent, the Screen Actors Guild stresses that such advancements threaten the livelihoods of real performers and challenge the very essence of acting.

Hollywood is not rolling out the red carpet for Tilly Norwood – an AI actor that 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's 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, or SAG-AFTRA, said in a statement.

It has no life experience to draw from, no emotion and, from what we've seen, audiences aren't interested in watching computer-generated content untethered from the human experience, the union added.

The AI actor was created by Dutch actor and comedian Eline Van der Velden who reportedly said she wanted Norwood to become the next Scarlett Johansson. Amid the anger and backlash in Hollywood, the Dutch creator posted on Tilly's Instagram page to clarify that the creation is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work – a piece of art.

AI technology continues to evoke strong feelings within the industry, particularly following lengthy 2023 strikes that emphasized the need for protecting human talent against encroaching tech innovations. With stars like Natasha Lyonne advocating for a boycott against talent agencies that collaborate with AI ventures, Tilly's introduction may signal a contentious future for Hollywood's relationship with artificial intelligence.