Tilly Norwood has never walked a red carpet, but she’s already circling Hollywood’s inner circles, causing a media firestorm and catching the eyes of major talent agencies. However, she’s not human.
Unveiled at the Zurich Summit, the industry centerpiece of the Zurich Film Festival, Tilly Norwood is the first AI-generated actress created by Xicoia, a newly launched AI talent studio from Eline Van der Velden, the actress, comedian, and CEO of tech-forward production company Particle6.
“We want Tilly to be the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman, that’s the aim,” Van der Velden boldly told Broadcast International. And it seems that dream is already in motion.
Since a soft launch earlier this year on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, Norwood has gradually built a following. Her public debut in Zurich, coupled with rising agent interest, propelled her into the spotlight.
Norwood has already appeared in “AI Commissioner”, a comedy sketch produced by Particle6, and Xicoia has plans to expand its roster of hyperreal, AI-driven personas for use in film, television and branded campaigns. Van der Velden argues the model reduces costs and frees creativity from budget constraints. “There are no constraints creatively, and that’s why AI can really be a positive,” she said.
The development has, however, triggered criticism across Hollywood. Actors including Melissa Barrera, Toni Collette and Kiersey Clemons voiced objections on social media, with some suggesting a boycott of agencies signing AI talent.
In response, Van der Velden defended the project as an artistic endeavour rather than a threat to jobs. “She is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work, a piece of art,” she said in a statement. “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.”
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
