Hollywood is no stranger to controversy, but the industry is now facing one of its most provocative debates yet: the rise of artificial intelligence-generated actors. At the center of the storm is Tilly Norwood, a hyper-realistic AI-created actress who has been described by some agents as “the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman.”
Created by comedian and technologist Eline Van der Velden, Tilly has already gained a social media following and even appeared in mock-up interviews, including a digital sit-down on Graham Norton’s sofa. Her lifelike presence has led talent agencies to consider representing her, sparking outrage among actors and industry veterans who argue that artificial performers undermine the craft of human storytelling.
The Creator’s Defense
Van der Velden has responded directly to the backlash, stressing that Tilly was never meant to replace real actors. In a statement shared on Instagram, she wrote:
“Tilly Norwood is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work – a piece of art. Like animation, puppetry, or CGI, AI is simply a new tool, a new paintbrush.”
She emphasized that creating Tilly required time, imagination, and skill, similar to developing a character on paper or shaping a performance on stage. For Van der Velden, the project is less about competition and more about experimentation: “She represents imagination and craftsmanship, not substitution.”
Industry Backlash
Despite her defense, prominent Hollywood figures have not held back. Melissa Barrera condemned the agencies entertaining the idea, posting: “Hope all actors repped by the agent that does this, drop their a$$. How gross, read the room.”
Kiersey Clemons demanded transparency, urging peers to “out the agents” involved. Actor Nicholas Alexander Chavez dismissed Tilly outright, commenting: “Not an actress actually. Nice try.”
Former child star Mara Wilson raised ethical concerns, questioning whether real women’s likenesses were used to composite Tilly’s appearance: “And what about the hundreds of living young women whose faces were composited together to make her? You couldn’t hire any of them?”
Others took a more tongue-in-cheek approach, with Lukas Gage joking that Tilly “couldn’t hit her mark and was late.”
A Bigger Debate: Art vs. Authenticity
The arrival of AI characters like Tilly Norwood is opening a broader conversation in Hollywood. Proponents argue that AI can expand storytelling possibilities, creating characters that might not otherwise exist and offering filmmakers new ways to experiment. Critics warn that such innovations risk devaluing human actors, their labor, and their artistry—especially at a time when the industry is already grappling with labor strikes and disputes over streaming-era compensation.
Van der Velden insists that Tilly should be judged as part of her own genre, not compared directly with human actors. She hopes audiences and the industry alike will see AI characters as “one more way to express ourselves, alongside theatre, film, painting, music, and countless others.”
The Future of AI in Hollywood
Tilly’s “soft launch” earlier this year through Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, followed by her official unveiling with the AI talent studio Xicoia, suggests that AI performers may soon become a fixture in the entertainment world.
For now, the digital actress has succeeded in her creator’s goal: sparking conversation. Whether she will be welcomed into Hollywood as a legitimate form of art or rejected as a threat to the human side of storytelling remains one of the industry’s most pressing questions.
