AI Actress Tilly Norwood: All You Need To Know About Her And Why She Faces Backlash
Tilly Norwood is being projected as the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman.
Hollywood’s interest in digital performers is gathering pace, with virtual actress Tilly Norwood, devised by AI talent studio Xicoia, on the brink of securing professional work.
Speaking at the Zurich Summit over the weekend, actress and technologist Eline Van der Velden revealed her company, Xicoia, is nearing an agreement that would secure professional representation for the digital star.
Should an agent succeed in taking her on, Tilly Norwood would become one of the earliest virtual performers to be officially represented: an opportunity up until now held solely by human actors.
“We were in a lot of boardrooms around February, 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 as per Deadline.
Who Is Tilly Norwood?
Tilly Norwood was brought to life by actress and tech innovator Eline Van der Velden. Her AI studio, Xicoia, which branched off from Van der Velden's AI production company Particle6, aims to pioneer digital talent in the worlds of film and television.
The character’s introduction to screen audiences came through her participation in a comedic sketch called AI Commissioner, which takes a satirical look at where television production might be headed in years to come.
“Can’t believe it… my first ever role is live!,” she said in a Facebook post.
“We want Tilly to be the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman, that’s the aim of what we’re doing,” Van der Velden told Broadcast International in July.
Tilly Norwood Faces Backlash
The prospect of Tilly Norwood securing professional representation has sparked fierce responses from actors in the industry. Melissa Barrera, famous for her role in In the Heights, took to Instagram Stories, urging fellow performers to sever ties with any agent who signs Norwood.
Meanwhile, Kiersey Clemons demanded transparency, calling for the names of the agencies involved to be made public.
“And what about the hundreds of living young women whose faces were composited together to make her? You couldn’t hire any of them?” said Mara Wilson as per Variety.
Toni Collette responded briefly yet vividly, posting a series of screaming-face emojis to express her reaction.
In response to the criticism, Eline Van der Velden posted on Instagram, “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.” The same message was also posted through Norwood’s Instagram page.
“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,” she said.
