Hollywood talent agencies could soon be signing their first AI-generated actress, who has been named Tilly Norwood. The digital actress has become the latest flashpoint in the debate over AI’s role in entertainment: an issue that was central to the 2023 actors’ and writers’ strikes.
According to Deadline, reporting from the Zurich Summit, actor, comedian and technologist Eline Van der Velden has launched an AI talent studio called Xicoia and is currently in talks with agencies keen to represent Norwood.
The prospect of an AI ‘actor’ joining the books of Hollywood’s power brokers has already sparked fierce criticism from those concerned about the future of human performers.
Speaking on a panel about AI in film and television, Van der Velden argued that the technology is rapidly becoming mainstream within the industry and hinted that a major announcement could arrive soon.
Norwood already has a digital footprint. Particle6, the company behind her creation, has launched a dedicated website positioning her as a London-based actress, complete with Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and Facebook profiles. They have even released a fully AI-generated video introduction.
In a LinkedIn post, Van der Velden explained that Norwood was built using 10 different tools, including ChatGPT, and trained to “perform with nuance, emotion and consistency”.
She claims the approach could cut costs and speed up production schedules at a time when budgets are tightening. “Audiences care about story,” she argued, “not whether the star has a pulse.”
At the same time, she stressed that Particle6 sees AI as an enhancer, not a replacement. “The future of entertainment isn’t human or synthetic. It’s both.”
While digital de-ageing or performance tweaks have been cautiously embraced in Hollywood, Sylvester Stallone once floated the idea for a Rambo prequel, an entirely synthetic lead performer represents, for many, a troubling step too far.
Even so, critics warn that creating AI actors risks undermining the very protections that performers fought to secure during the strikes.
