🎬 AI Actress Tilly Norwood Sparks Backlash in Hollywood

Artificial intelligence has stepped into Hollywood’s spotlight — and not everyone is clapping.

October 01, 2025

✹ Who is Tilly Norwood?

Tilly Norwood is an AI-generated “actress” created by filmmaker Eline Van der Velden under her new AI talent studio Xicoia, a spin-off from Particle6. Despite being a digital character, Norwood has already gained over 33,000 Instagram followers and, according to Van der Velden, is attracting real interest from multiple talent agencies.

At the Zurich Summit, Van der Velden revealed that an announcement on which agency will represent Norwood is coming soon.

🎭 The Creator’s Defense

Facing backlash, Van der Velden defended her creation in a statement:

“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 another tool. I am an actor myself, and nothing can take away the craft or joy of human performance.”

She compared AI characters to previous storytelling innovations, framing Norwood as a new “paintbrush” for creative exploration.

😡 Hollywood’s Outrage

Many Hollywood stars and unions see it differently.

  • SAG-AFTRA, Hollywood’s actors’ union, issued a sharp response:

  • Emily Blunt reacted with alarm:

  • Simu Liu (Shang-Chi) sarcastically quipped that AI actors would make movies “better” by removing humans.

  • Mara Wilson (Matilda) questioned why hundreds of real young women’s faces weren’t used instead.

  • Melissa Barrera, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Lukas Gage, and Brian Duffield also joined in with sharp criticism.

đŸŽ„ Why This Matters

The backlash underscores a growing tension between AI and human creativity. While AI-generated influencers and digital characters are gaining traction online, bringing that into Hollywood challenges long-held beliefs about authenticity, artistry, and job security.

Van der Velden insists Norwood is “art, not replacement.” But to many actors, she represents a slippery slope where algorithms, not humans, define what we watch on screen.

✅ Bottom Line:
AI characters like Tilly Norwood are forcing Hollywood to confront uncomfortable questions. Is she the future of entertainment — or a threat to it?

⚡ What do you think — harmless art project or dangerous precedent?