SAG-AFTRA Slams AI Actress Tilly Norwood: “It Has No Life Experience to Draw From, No Emotion”
The rise of AI in Hollywood just hit a major wall as SAG-AFTRA has released a sharp statement condemning Tilly Norwood, the computer-generated “actress” that has recently stirred up controversy after reports surfaced that talent agents were interested in representing her.
The guild isn’t holding back, making it clear that it sees no place for synthetic actors in the industry. SAG-AFTRA wrote:
“To be clear, ‘Tilly Norwood’ is not an actor, it’s a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers — without permission or compensation.
“It has no life experience to draw from, no emotion and, from what we’ve seen, audiences aren’t interested in watching computer-generated content untethered from the human experience.
“It doesn’t solve any ‘problem’ — it creates the problem of using stolen performances to put actors out of work, jeopardizing performer livelihoods and devaluing human artistry.”
The guild went on to warn studios directly:
“Signatory producers should be aware that they may not use synthetic performers without complying with our contractual obligations, which require notice and bargaining whenever a synthetic performer is going to be used.”
Tilly Norwood was developed by Particle6, the AI production studio founded by Eline Van der Velden, who has pushed back against the backlash. Van der Velden insists her creation isn’t meant to replace actors but should instead be viewed as a form of art.
“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.”
Plenty of actors aren’t convinced. Melissa Barrera, Kiersey Clemons, Mara Wilson, and others quickly voiced their anger online, warning of the dangers of synthetic performers.
On The View, Whoopi Goldberg said: “You can always tell them from us. We move differently, our faces move differently, our bodies move differently.”
The strongest reaction may have come from Emily Blunt, who was shown an image of Tilly Norwood during a Variety podcast interview. Her immediate response was both visceral and blunt.
“Does it disappoint me? I don’t know how to quite answer it, other than to say how terrifying this is. No, are you serious? That’s an AI? Good Lord, we’re screwed. That is really, really scary, Come on, agencies, don’t do that. Please stop. Please stop taking away our human connection.”
The fight over Tilly Norwood highlights the bigger conversation about AI in entertainment. While some see it as an innovative tool, others fear it undermines the very core of acting such as human connection, life experience, and emotion. For now, SAG-AFTRA has made its stance crystal clear: acting should remain firmly in human hands.