Tilly Norwood: Keep the reaction going

Tilly Norwood, the AI actress who rose to fame in Zurich, is setting the film world ablaze: a technological revolution or a threat to human actors?

portrait of AI actress Tilly Norwood

There Tilly Norwood's presentation, The AI-generated actress at the Zurich Film Festival caused a real stir in the film industry. Smiling, charismatic, and perfectly believable on screen, this virtual actress embodies a new stage in the fusion of art and technology. But behind the veneer of innovation, anger is brewing.

A meteoric rise to power

Created by a European AI studio, Tilly Norwood was unveiled as the first "virtual star" capable of appearing in feature films without a real actress. Her appearance on the red carpet immediately sparked fascination and curiosity, propelling her name to trending status worldwide on social media.

The actors and actresses react: "Boycott!"«

While some members of the public applaud this technological feat, flesh-and-blood film professionals feel directly threatened. Several European and American actors' unions have expressed their concern, some even calling for a boycott.

«"This is a slap in the face to our profession. They want to replace us with algorithms!", a French actress exclaimed.

A more virulent Hollywood actor posted on X (formerly Twitter): "Fuck off, Tilly. Total boycott."«

A divide between innovation and tradition

This controversy reveals a deep divide:

• For some, Tilly Norwood represents a revolution, capable of reducing production costs and opening up new forms of storytelling.
• For others, it represents an existential threat to human actors, already weakened by streaming platforms and the standardization of productions.

What future for cinema?

The debate is now open: will viewers follow the actors in their call for a boycott or will they be seduced by this new generation of virtual stars?

One thing is certain: the arrival of Tilly Norwood marks a historic turning point. Cinema has never been so close to entering an era where the boundary between reality and virtuality disappears.

👉 And you, what do you think? Should we celebrate this innovation or fear the disappearance of flesh-and-blood actors?