Tilly Norwood, the first AI actress who is shaking up Hollywood

The Zurich Film Festival struck a major blow this weekend: under the spotlight, the audience met Tilly Norwood, the very first actress… who doesn't exist. Entirely generated by artificial intelligence, she made a stunning entrance that could change the face of cinema forever.

Discover the portrait of Tilly Norwood new movie star

A virtual star born from an algorithm

Brown hair, intense gaze, impeccable British accent: Tilly Norwood has all the makings of a rising star. Except she has no past, no family, and no flesh. The brainchild of Dutch artist Eline van der Velden and her Xicoia studio, this digital actress combines the features of Mila Kunis, Keira Knightley, and Natalie Portman. Her creator has no hesitation in predicting that she could become "the new Scarlett Johansson."

On Instagram, Tilly already puts herself in the picture with irony: "In 20 seconds, I fought monsters, survived explosions, sold a car – and almost won an Oscar." Enough to make your head spin.

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Hollywood sounds the alarm

In Los Angeles, the news had the effect of an earthquake. Emily Blunt, upon discovering Tilly, exclaimed: "Is she an AI? My God, we're lost. This is terrifying." The legendary Whoopi Goldberg also expressed her dismay.

The powerful actors' union SAG-AFTRA immediately responded: "Tilly Norwood is not an actress, but a computer character trained with the work of real actors – without permission, without compensation."

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Visionary genius or gravedigger of cinema?

For Eline van der Velden, Tilly isn't a threat, but a tool. "It's another brush in the creators' palette," she says. The goal: to produce films and series at a lower cost, without physical constraints, without the whims of stars... and without limits.

But many see it as a threat: what if tomorrow producers replaced actors with digital avatars, cheap, inexhaustible and... interchangeable?

The dawn of a new era

Whether applauded or feared, Tilly Norwood has opened a heated debate: can AI steal the soul of cinema? Can the art of acting, based on human experience, improvisation, and emotion, survive against actors who don't age, don't sleep, and don't negotiate fees?

One thing is certain: with Tilly Norwood, Zurich didn't just present a virtual actress. The festival offered the world a disturbing vision of the future. And Hollywood, already on alert, is wondering if this is the beginning of a new era... or the end of one.