AI personality Tilly Norwood sparked controversy in Hollywood as she’s attempting to pursue an acting career.
Norwood popped up on social media in May 2025, posting content like any other influencer. Her Instagram bio states that she is AI art and an aspiring actress.
“In 20 seconds I fought monsters, fled explosions, sold you a car, and nearly won an Oscar. All in a day’s work… literally!” Norwood wrote via Instagram in August 2025 alongside a series of clips from her reel. “Find yourself an actress who can do it all. (hi 👋) so, which tilly are you today?👽🚗👑💥.”
Norwood raised eyebrows in September 2025 after her creator, Eline Van der Velden, claimed during a Zurich Summit panel that her AI talent studio is in talks with a number of talent agents.
“We were in a lot of boardrooms around February time, and everyone was like, ‘No, this is nothing. It’s not going to happen’. Then, by May, people were like, ‘We need to do something with you guys.’ When we first launched Tilly, people were like, ‘What’s that?’, and now we’re going to be announcing which agency is going to be representing her in the next few months,” said Van der Velden per Deadline.
Van der Velden’s comments ignited backlash, leading to multiple celebrities and SAG-AFTRA speaking out against Norwood and the use of AI actors.
Keep scrolling for a full breakdown on the controversy:
Who Is Tilly Norwood?
Norwood is an AI-generated character with aspirations of becoming an actress. Her Instagram page is filled with photos of her model headshots, selfies and stills from film scenes.
Who Is Tilly Norwood’s Creator Eline Van der Velden?
Van der Velden created Norwood as part of Xicoia, the artificial intelligence (AI) division of Particle6, which is the company she founded. Before branching into the tech world, Van der Velden was a comedian, writer, actress and producer.
Has Tilly Norwood Been in Any Projects?
Norwood’s first role was a sketch titled AI Commissioner. The skit, which was produced by Particle6, explored the topic of using AI to create scripts.
What Have Stars Said About Tilly Norwood?
Multiple celebrities have voiced their concerns about using AI personalities in projects. During a September 2025 appearance on Variety’s “Awards Circuit Podcast,” Emily Blunt learned about Norwood and talked about how “terrifying” it was.
“Are you serious? That’s an AI? Good Lord, we’re screwed,” she said. “That is really, really scary. Come on, agencies, don’t do that. Please stop. Please stop taking away our human connection.”
Following the news of Norwood potentially getting an agent, Melissa Barrera shared her candid opinion.
“Hope all actors repped by the agent that does this, drop their a$$,” the Scream actress wrote via Instagram. “How gross, read the room.”
What Has SAG-AFTRA Said About Tilly Norwood?
SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin spoke to Variety in October 2025 after Norwood made headlines. The Goonies actor addressed the controversy and acknowledged how the union previously fought for protection against AI during their 2023 strike.
“I appreciate that this story has captured the imagination of people, but it’s not the first shoe to drop. We had a 118-day strike, fighting very hard to put AI provisions and protections in place,” he said. “The teams at SAG-AFTRA have been in this fight for longer than people might realize. As technology continues to advance at light speed, we’re going to meet the challenge.”
Astin added that the union would also address the issue with the Association of Talent Agents.
“Our agreement with the ATA is important, and we look forward to a healthy, constructive conversation with agencies to make sure that we continue to help each other. We performers rely on our agent’s judgment and their good work and their sincerity, and they rely on our talent and our marketability,” he continued. “The real issue at play is how our work is exhibited and what kinds of permissions and compensations we get for its use.”
How Has Eline Van der Velden Reacted to the Backlash?
Van der Velden released a statement via Norwood’s Instagram page in September 2025.
“To those who have expressed anger over the creation of my AI character, Tilly Norwood, she is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work – a piece of art. Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that in itself shows the power of creativity,” her statement read. “I see AI not as a replacement for people, but as a new tool, a new paintbrush. Just as animation, puppetry, or CGI opened fresh possibilities without taking away from live acting, AI offers another way to imagine and build stories. I’m an actor myself, and nothing – certainly not an AI character – can take away the craft or joy of human performance.”
Van der Velden added that creating Norwood was “an act of imagination and craftsmanship” and compared the experience to drawing a character.
“It takes time, skill and interaction to bring such a character to life. She represents experimentation, not substitution,” the statement continued. “Much of my work has always been about holding up a mirror to society through satire, and this is no different.
Van der Velden expressed her vision for AI characters to be “judged as their own genre” rather than be “compared directly with human actors.”
“I hope we can welcome AI as part of the wider artistic family: one more way to express ourselves alongside theatre, film, painting, music and countless others. When we celebrate all forms of creativity, we open doors to new voices, new stories and new ways of connecting with each other,” she concluded.