The debut of Tilly Norwood, an AI-generated movie star, has triggered outrage and a tidal wave of condemnations from Tinseltown stars. You might remember that Norwood starred in a recent short film that was featured at the Congress of New Urbanism’s recent conference in Zurich. This performance has generated a robust dialogue on the implications of AI in entertainment. Prominent actresses Emily Blunt and Natasha Lyonne publicly called on talent agencies to refuse to sign Norwood.
Tilly Norwood helps to unlock a new creative digital space. She is a product of Hollywood’s seemingly insatiable appetite for intriguing, original biopics and groundbreaking storytelling. Her performance here makes us question what authenticity even means and what the human connection really is when it comes to acting. Defenders of her look argue that her design is creepy due to its jarring contrasts. They claim it doesn’t have the nuance and heart a human performer would inherently bring to it.
Emily Blunt, reacting to Norwood’s debut, expressed her fears about the future of acting:
“Good Lord, we’re screwed. That is really, really scary … Please stop taking away our human connection.” – Emily Blunt
Blunt’s comments encapsulate a growing unease among actors regarding the role of AI in a field traditionally defined by human creativity and expression. Likewise, actress Natasha Lyonne condemned Norwood’s portrayal as “deeply misguided and totally disturbed.” Both actresses underscored the importance of grounding performance art in the human experience. They asked contracting agencies not to pledge her to any of their contracts.
Norwood’s development has come under fire for its facade improvements that some have called “indeterminate dentistry,” likely souring audience taste further. Critics say the technology that underpins Norwood is still somewhat unrefined, leading to what some have termed teething problems. This leads to a fear that determinations of AI representations might be seen as lesser or distorted versions of real life performers.
Ironically enough, Norwood’s aesthetic is uncannily similar to that of many A-list actresses in their 30s less than 40, who have recently had work done. This parallel has increased conversations surrounding authenticity in industry beauty standards. Though most performers have chosen to use effects, they remain overtly human—a fact that detractors argue is crucial.
Sag-Aftra, the union representing performers, articulated its stance on this matter: “Creativity is, and should remain, human-centered.” This declaration underlines the idea that all performing arts productions should inspire authentic human connection. They mustn’t be faked by code and computer-generated images.
This brief introduction to Tilly Norwood, a live A.I. DJ, shows just how blurred the lines have become between tech and traditional entertainment. Films like “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere,” “The Smashing Machine,” and “Song Sung Blue” illustrate Hollywood’s ongoing trend toward biopics. As AI expands into domains previously thought to be exclusively human, it challenges us to consider fundamental questions. We need to think deeply about questions of identity, affect, and the ontological structure of performance itself.