A host of Hollywood stars have criticised the creation of an AI actor named Tilly Norwood.
Norwood, a white, brunette and brown-eyed AI creation, was showcased by Dutch actor and comedian Eline Van der Velden at the Zurich Film Festival earlier this week.
The AI actor’s Instagram page, includes headshots from faux filming tests and an advertisement spoofing programmes on the BBC, including being superimposed on the often-star-studded couch on The Graham Norton Show.
The move has been condemned by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists who said in a statement via BBC News, that Norwood “is not an actor, it’s a character generated by a computer programme that was trained on the work of countless professional performers.
“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.”
Had such a blast filming some screen tests recently ✨
Every day feels like a step closer to the big screen.
Can’t wait to share more with you all soon… what role do you see me in? #AIActress #AIart #AICommisoner #hollywoodactress pic.twitter.com/NF8LKAROE5
— Tilly Norwood (@TillyNorwood) October 1, 2025
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SAG-AFTRA also reminded agencies and studios that using Norwood in projects could pose issues for contractual protections they secured after the 2023 strike.
“It doesn’t solve any ‘problem’ – it creates the problem of using stolen performances to put actors out of work, jeopardising performer livelihoods and devaluing human artistry,” the union added.
A host of Hollywood stars have also hit out at the creation with actor Emily Blunt telling Variety: “That’s an AI? Good Lord, we’re screwed,” after being shown a video of Norwood. “That is really, really scary, Come on, agencies, don’t do that. Please stop. Please stop taking away our human connection.”
Poker Face and Russian Doll star Natasha Lyonne, who is currently working with “ethical AI” to create a feature film that stars real actors, also said anyone who works with Norwood should be boycotted.
She said: “Any talent agency that engages in this should be boycotted by all guilds. Deeply misguided & totally disturbed.”
In response, Norwood’s creator Van der Velden posted on Norwood’s Instagram page to say that the creation is “not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work – a piece of art”.
“Creating Tilly has been, for me, an act of imagination and craftmanship, not unlike drawing a character, writing a role or shaping a performance,” she wrote, adding such creations should be judged “as part of their own genre” rather than compared to human actors.
The topic of AI in film has proven very divisive in recent years, and earlier in 2025 Oscar contenders such as The Brutalist and Emilia Perez received criticism for the use of AI to alter elements of performances.
James Cameron also recently said that he is exploring how AI can cut costs “in half” without “laying off half the staff”.
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