A computer-generated starlet unveiled in Zurich has set off one of the sharpest debates yet over artificial intelligence in film.
Tilly Norwood, an AI creation presented as a rising talent, is being touted by its producers as the “next Scarlett Johansson.” For many in Hollywood, the project represents a direct challenge to human performers.
Norwood made her first official appearance at the Zurich Summit, a film industry event tied to the Zurich Film Festival.
Created by London-based studio Particle6, the virtual actress has brown eyes, a British accent, and her own social media presence.
Her only acting credit so far is a short parody sketch called AI Commissioner.
Released in July, the video included 16 AI-generated characters. Norwood took center stage. On Facebook, the character posted: “I may be AI-generated, but I’m feeling very real emotions right now. I am so excited for what’s coming next!”
The parody drew more than 600,000 views, but most responses mocked the production. Critics called it awkward, creepy, and unfunny. Technical glitches, such as blurred teeth and stiff dialogue delivery, reinforced doubts about the technology.
Eline Van der Velden, founder of Particle6, said the response from the business side is shifting.
Variety quoted her as saying that talent agents who were skeptical now want in. She added that a first-of-its-kind agency deal could be announced in the coming months.
Union fires back
The unveiling prompted a swift response from SAG-AFTRA, which represents 160,000 performers in the United States. In a statement, the union said: “Creativity is, and should remain, human-centered. The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics.”
Officials stressed that Norwood is not an actor but a product of software trained on the work of real performers “without permission or compensation.”
The dispute over AI actors comes after months of tense labor negotiations. Concerns about studios using artificial intelligence to replace or copy performers were central to SAG-AFTRA’s contract talks in 2023 and 2024.
The union won new protections, but warned that technology is advancing faster than regulation.
Experts dismiss the hype
Not everyone in the industry believes AI actors are poised to break through. Yves Bergquist, director of AI in media at the University of Southern California’s Entertainment Technology Center, called the current hype “nonsense.”
“There is a lot of very understandable nervousness and fear out there about talent being replaced,” Bergquist said in a statement to Reuters.
But he added that among Hollywood executives, “there was zero interest from serious people” in fully synthetic actors. “Scarlett Johansson has a fan base. Scarlett Johansson is a person,” he said.
Still, AI’s growing role in entertainment is undeniable. Studios already use it for de-aging effects and digital doubles. Norwood, though fictional, shows how far the industry can push technology toward creating marketable, stand-alone characters.
The question now is whether audiences and Hollywood insiders will ever accept them.