The physicist and actor behind the deeply controversial AI-generated performer Tilly Norwood has revealed plans to launch dozens more synthetic actors, igniting fresh debate within the entertainment world.
Backlash and Broader Ambitions
Eline Van der Velden, who softly introduced the brunette, brown-eyed AI character on social media earlier this year, confirmed the expansion in a recent interview. The initial debut of Tilly Norwood provoked significant criticism from human actors and industry unions alike.
Mara Wilson, the actress famed for her childhood role in Matilda, publicly challenged the project on Instagram in September. "And what about the hundreds of living young women whose faces were composited together to make her? You couldn’t hire any of them?" she questioned, highlighting core concerns about AI replacing human talent.
Van der Velden has consistently dismissed fears that her creation steals jobs. In an online statement, she framed Tilly not as a human substitute, but as "a creative work – a piece of art."
A Growing Synthetic Universe
Undeterred by the criticism, Van der Velden is moving forward with an ambitious plan. "The plan is to create 40 very diverse characters to build her whole universe and to play in this AI genre with a whole new cast," she told Deadline.
She confirmed that several characters are currently in development, though "none are ready for release." The project has already attracted professional interest, with Van der Velden noting at the Zurich Summit that talent agents were inquiring about Tilly, and representation is expected to be announced in the coming months.
Industry Resistance and a Predicted Renaissance
Convincing the established industry remains a formidable challenge. The powerful Hollywood union SAG-AFTRA, which staged a major strike in 2023 partly over AI concerns, issued a firm statement in September opposing Tilly. "The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics," it declared.
Despite this resistance, Van der Velden is bullish about the future. She predicts an incoming "creative renaissance" driven by this new technology. However, she also offered reassurances, suggesting traditional film and television will persist. "I think we’re still going to film with actors. I want to see real actors on screen. I don’t think AI characters will be in that space – it’s not going to move that fast," she concluded.
