Sounding off: An actress-turned-producer has introduced an AI-based character she claims could be the future of television. But instead of sparking excitement, the project has drawn swift backlash from SAG-AFTRA, the powerful US actors' union, which didn't find the joke funny at all. As far as we can tell, absolutely no one is actually liking this kind of stuff, except perhaps for its potential in memes and adult content.
Eline Van der Velden, a Dutch comedian and actress based in London, is advocating for heavy use of AI-generated content to reshape the television industry. She is promoting her vision through "Tilly Norwood," a digital simulation of a "screen-ready" AI actress that, according to Van der Velden, could become the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman.
Early reactions to this AI experiment, however, may discourage any further attempt to build a successful business out of it.
Tilly Norwood was officially introduced at the Zurich Film Festival by Xicoia, the AI division of Van der Velden's production company, Particle6. The Dutch producer argued that audiences are more invested in a film's story than in its actors, and therefore, performers could easily be AI-generated.
A few months ago, Particle6 shared several video clips showcasing Norwood and other AI characters. The clips were allegedly conceived to ape real-world TV production, with the company aiming to redefine video, film, and television in one go. The AI-driven approach would slash production costs by 90 percent, while preserving "creativity or quality" at the same time.
SAG-AFTRA, the US actors' union, responded with strong criticism, stating that Tilly Norwood and the Xicoia project would undermine human creativity and are likely illegal. "SAG-AFTRA believes creativity is, and should remain, human-centered. The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics," the organization said.
According to SAG-AFTRA, the uncanny likeness of Tilly Norwood was generated by an AI model trained on the work of countless professional performers, without permission nor compensation. The union described the hallucinated "actress" as soulless, devoid of emotion, and unwanted by audiences. Comments under Norwood's introduction video appear to support this sentiment.
In the end, Tilly Norwood and her AI-generated "shows" don't solve any real problem – instead, they create new ones by appropriating the performances of real actors. SAG-AFTRA also reminded producers that they cannot use "synthetic performers" without complying with the union's contractual obligations, as past cases have established.
Several actresses have voiced their disdain for Tilly Norwood online. Actress Mara Wilson argued that Particle6 could have simply hired one of the many real young women whose likenesses were used to create the AI persona. Facing mounting criticism, Van der Velden has attempted to reframe the project.
Norwood is no longer being described as the "next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman," but rather as a "piece of art." According to Van der Velden, her goal was to spark conversation and demonstrate the power of creativity in the hands of just a few AI prompts.
"AI actress" Tilly Norwood slammed by SAG-AFTRA as soulless and unoriginal
