Do you really know? Could AI kill off filmmaking?
6 snips
Dec 24, 2025 In a groundbreaking reveal, the world's first AI actress, Tilly Norwood, makes waves at the Zurich Film Festival, attracting major industry attention. The podcast explores whether AI could truly replace human actors, diving into the ethical concerns of resurrecting deceased performers. It discusses the backdrop of recent union strikes against AI-generated content and examines the mixed reactions from major industry figures. Additionally, the transformation of filmmaking roles due to AI and the question of audience acceptance of less human creativity are provocative talking points.
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AI Actress Debuts In Zurich
- Sequoia unveiled Tilly Norwood, a fully AI-created non-human actress, at the Zurich Film Festival in September 2025.
- The Guardian described her as an uncanny fusion of Gal Gadot, Ana de Armas and Vanessa Hudgens, and she reportedly attracted agent interest.
Unions Raised Early AI Red Flags
- By 2023 actors and writers unions had already struck over AI cloning voices, scripts and likenesses.
- Those strikes show industry workers foresaw AI threats years before fictional non-human performers emerged.
Actors Speak Out Against AI Creation
- Several actors publicly condemned Tilly Norwood; Melissa Barrera and Mara Wilson criticised the project on social media.
- Emily Blunt called the development "really, really scary" and urged agencies not to pursue it.
