Meet the Creator of the AI Actress Hollywood Loves to Hate

A new AI-generated actress is causing major debate. Her name is Tilly Norwood. She is a synthetic 24-year old created by London’s Particle6.

The character sparked intense backlash from Hollywood stars and unions in September. Industry figures feared she represented a threat to human performers. Now, her creator is addressing the uproar directly.

Creator Responds to Hollywood Backlash and Misinformation

According to Particle6 founder Eline Van der Velden, the reaction contained significant misinformation. She expressed sympathy for actors concerned about their jobs. She clarified that Tilly is not intended to replace human performers.

Van der Velden stated her company follows strict ethical guidelines. She emphasized a commitment to human acting. The plan is for Tilly to exist in her own separate AI genre, similar to animation.

The backlash was severe at times. Van der Velden revealed the police had to be notified due to extreme messages. She also received many heartfelt concerns from people who love the art of acting.

The Planned Future for Synthetic Actors and AI Content

Despite the controversy, interest in Tilly has grown enormously. Van der Velden says award-winning writers and directors have reached out. No potential partners withdrew following the negative headlines.

The vision is to build an entire universe for the character. This long-term project involves developing her personality and backstory. The goal is to create a new form of storytelling, not replicate traditional film.

Van der Velden sees three key advantages to the technology. It can reduce production budgets and carbon footprints significantly. It also removes creative boundaries limited by physical film sets.

Tilly Norwood remains a flashpoint in the industry’s evolving relationship with artificial intelligence. Her story highlights the tension between technological innovation and artistic tradition. The conversation she started is only just beginning.

Thought you’d like to know

Who created the AI actress Tilly Norwood?

Tilly Norwood was created by Eline Van der Velden and her team at Particle6. The London-based production company spent over three years developing her. She is designed as a completely original “British rose” character.

Why did Hollywood actors react negatively to Tilly?

Major stars and SAG-AFTRA reacted strongly to reports agencies wanted to sign her. They saw her as a threat to human jobs during a tough industry period. The union stated AI lacks the life experience and emotion of a real performer.

Will Tilly Norwood replace human actors in films?

Her creator firmly says no. Van der Velden states Tilly is meant for a separate AI genre. The company’s policy is to not replace human actors without consent for a digital twin.

What AI tools were used to build Tilly Norwood?

The team used a variety of common and proprietary tools. This included platforms like Veo 3, ChatGPT, and Gemini. They also built custom tools on top of existing large language models.

Has any other AI character been signed by an agency before?

Yes. The CGI influencer Lil Miquela was signed by CAA back in 2020. Van der Velden notes her team initially followed a similar playbook. She believes Tilly garnered more attention because she looks more realistic.