[USA, Los Angeles, Hollywood sign image. Photo Credit to Pixabay]

Hollywood is facing intense criticism following the launch of Tilly Norwood, a fully AI-generated actress developed by the technology company Xicoia in Los Angeles on September 30, 2025. 

She was introduced as the world’s first synthetic performer designed specifically for film and television. 

Xicoia, founded by Dutch producer Eline Van der Velden, stated that its objective was to create a performer who could take on multiple roles, work without limitations, and reduce production costs for studios.

Promotional materials claimed that digital actors could reduce production expenses by up to 90 percent. 

According to the creators, Tilly was trained on large datasets of performances, voice recordings, and facial expressions.

Van der Velden described Tilly as a creative tool intended to expand storytelling and push the boundaries of creative work

Still, the criticism has been stronger than the support. 

However, the response from Hollywood has been overwhelmingly negative. 

SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union, immediately condemned the project.

In a public statement, the union emphasized that creativity must remain human-centered and warned that synthetic actors exploit the labor and likeness of real performers without consent. 

The union further argued that Tilly lacks real-life experience, emotion, and the human foundation needed to support genuine performance. 

Prominent actors have also joined the backlash.

Emily Blunt reacted with shock when shown a clip of Tilly, saying, “Are you serious? That’s an AI? Good Lord, we’re screwed.”

Whoopi Goldberg criticized the project as  unfair, arguing that it was unjust for an AI to be built from a mix of real actors’ features and work.

Melissa Barrera urged audiences to boycott agencies that represent AI actors, and Natasha Lyonne warned that replacing humans with digital performers would deprive cinema of its soul.

Directors and producers have likewise voiced their apprehension.

Some warned that AI performers could replace extras and background actors, while others feared that even leading roles might be automated.

Critics contend that acting depends on lived human emotion, vulnerability, and memory, qualities a machine cannot reproduce.  

They have also raised legal concerns about copyright and ownership.

If  an AI is trained on real performances without prior authorization, they said, it could constitute theft of talent and identity.

Supporters of Tilly, however, defended the project.

Van der Velden maintained that Tilly was not designed to replace humans but to work alongside them.

She compared Tilly to Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman, saying she could one day reach the same level of recognition.

The creators proposed that AI in film should be viewed in the same way as earlier technological shifts, such as the introduction of sound, color film, and computer-generated imagery.

They insisted that audiences would eventually accept digital actors if the characters told strong stories.

Still, the backlash continues to outweigh the support. 

The backlash has revived memories of the 2023 Hollywood strikes, when the role of AI was one of the main issues in negotiations.

During the 2023 strikes, actors and writers demanded strict rules on the use of their voices and likenesses in digital media. 

For many in Hollywood, the debut of Tilly shows those fears have returned with more urgency.

The controversy has also put pressure on talent agencies.

Some agencies may consider signing AI actors to meet studio demand, but doing so could risk losing human clients and public support.

Several stars have already promised to boycott agencies that choose to represent synthetic performers.

For now, Tilly Norwood’s future remains uncertain.

It is not yet clear if she will appear in feature films, television shows, or streaming productions.

Nevertheless, her launch has already forced Hollywood to face a new debate over the meaning of performance.

The arrival of Tilly Norwood shows that artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool for visual effects.

It is now being used to compete with human creativity on the screen.

The industry must now decide whether audiences will accept a digital actress who has no human life or experience.

Critics regard her as a threat to jobs and artistry, while supporters see her as the next step in film technology.

What is clear is that Tilly Norwood has become a symbol of the tension between innovation and tradition in Hollywood, and the betabe will shape how far AI can go in the entertainment industry.