Tilly Norwood, an actress based in London with a following of around 40,000 on Instagram, is not a real person—she is a digital persona crafted by Xicoia, the artificial intelligence branch of the production company Particle6.
Eline Van der Velden, a Dutch producer and founder of Particle6, unveiled the concept of Norwood at the Zurich Film Festival last September. Van der Velden is now looking for an agent to represent Norwood, who has sparked significant attention in Hollywood circles.
Emily Blunt, recognized for her performances in movies such as “The Devil Wears Prada,” “A Quiet Place,” and “Oppenheimer,” learned about Norwood during a podcast recording with Variety.
“Oh my God, we’re doomed. That’s truly terrifying,” Blunt remarked to Variety. “Agencies, please don’t go down this path. I beg you, don’t take away the human element.”
SAG-AFTRA, the union that advocates for professionals in entertainment and media, issued a statement condemning the use of AI-generated performers like Norwood.
“To clarify, ‘Tilly Norwood’ is not an actual actor, but a digital creation made by a computer program trained on the work of many professional performers—none of whom gave consent or received payment,” SAG-AFTRA stated. “This character lacks real-life experience, genuine emotion, and, based on what we’ve observed, audiences are not interested in watching content produced solely by computers, disconnected from human reality. Rather than solving a problem, it introduces a new one: using misappropriated performances to displace actors, threaten their livelihoods, and undermine the value of human creativity.”
In response to the criticism, Van der Velden posted a message on Tilly Norwood’s Instagram account.
“She isn’t meant to substitute a real person, but is instead a creative project—a form of art. Like many artistic expressions before her, she provokes discussion, which itself demonstrates the impact of creativity,” Van der Velden wrote.
Nevertheless, real actors remain concerned about the consequences of AI technology capable of generating convincing video, a concern heightened this week with the launch of Sora 2 by OpenAI. This is why groups like SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America are pushing for contractual safeguards to prevent AI from replacing human talent.
“Producers should understand that they cannot employ synthetic performers without adhering to our contractual requirements, which mandate notification and negotiation whenever such technology is used,” SAG-AFTRA emphasized.
