Hollywood Unions Condemn AI Actress Tilly Norwood Over Unauthorized Use

Tilly Norwood, an AI-generated actress created by London-based Particle 6 Productions, has sparked significant backlash across the entertainment industry, with multiple actors and unions condemning the concept. Hollywood actors including Emily Blunt, Natasha Lyonne, and Toni Collette have expressed alarm, emphasizing the loss of human connection and the threat to performers' livelihoods. SAG-AFTRA and the UK’s actors union Equity have officially opposed the replacement of human performers with synthetic ones, highlighting concerns over the use of real actors' work without consent or compensation to train AI models. The AI character Norwood was introduced at the Zurich Film Festival and quickly gained social media attention, with talent agents reportedly showing interest despite the controversy. Critics argue that Norwood is not a true performer but rather an AI tool built from existing performers' work, raising fundamental issues of creative ownership and identity theft. The debate underscores the growing tension between technological innovation in entertainment and safeguarding human artistry and employment rights.