{"id":460825,"date":"2026-03-06T14:10:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T14:10:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/460825\/"},"modified":"2026-03-06T14:10:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T14:10:13","slug":"tilly-norwood-creator-insists-controversial-ai-actress-is-not-malicious","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/460825\/","title":{"rendered":"Tilly Norwood creator insists controversial AI actress is ‘not malicious’"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\tThe creator of AI actress Tilly Norwood has defended her development (Pictures: Particle6)<\/p>\n

When the arrival of the world\u2019s first AI actress was announced last year, the backlash came thick and fast<\/a> \u2013 including from Hollywood stars such as Emily Blunt<\/a> and Sophie Turner<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While Tilly Norwood might appear like any young aspiring actress \u2013 an \u2018English rose\u2019 with big brown eyes, smiling for the cameras with pearly white teeth and a near-perfect blow-out, coupled with an impressive 90,000 followers \u2013 she is actually not real at all.<\/p>\n

Instead, she is the creation of Eline Van der Velden<\/a>, a Dutch actress, comedian and physicist who founded the AI production company Particle6 Group just over a decade ago.<\/p>\n

After four months of development, last year she announced Tilly to the world \u2013 firstly in the UK where she received a largely positive reception.<\/p>\n

But when Tilly was introduced at a panel at the Zurich<\/a> Summit last year and it was revealed she would be signing with an agency \u2013 Hollywood swiftly hit back<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tilly \u2013 and Eline herself \u2013 faced significant outrage. Sag-Aftra denounced her for \u2018devaluing human artistry\u2019, Emily Blunt called the development \u2018terrifying\u2019 and Natasha Lyonne said Tilly was \u2018deeply misguided and totally disturbed.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Tilly
\n\t\tThe actress\u2019 roll-out was announced last year (Picture: Particle6)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Metro
\n\t\tHowever, she was accused of \u2018devaluing human artistry\u2019 (Picture: Particle6)<\/p>\n

The response was so severe that Eline even received death threats.<\/p>\n

Postulating why there was such opposing responses in the two countries, Eline said there were \u2018a lot more working actors who thought this might take their jobs\u2019 in the US.<\/p>\n

She also explained that the size and commercialisation of the US market also meant that \u2018innovation is a lot more difficult there\u2019.<\/p>\n

Despite the push-back, she hasn\u2019t let it stop her, with plans continuing to see Tilly star in her own projects within what Eline dubs the \u2018Tillyverse\u2019.<\/p>\n

When initially releasing a statement about the backlash to Tilly, Eline wrote: \u2018She is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work \u2013 a piece of art. Nothing \u2013 certainly not an AI character \u2013 can take away the craft or joy of human performance.\u2019 As Tilly\u2019s own Instagram<\/a> bio reads: \u2018You\u2019ll either get it or pretend you don\u2019t.\u2019<\/p>\n

The idea for Tilly initially came when Eline stumbled across a string of AI influencers filtering through her social media<\/a> feed, which sparked the idea to make her own character.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Metro
\n\t\tTilly\u2019s creator Eline Van der Velden has said she \u2018is not a replacement for a human being\u2019 (Picture: Particle6)<\/p>\n

\u2018It was like a creative experiment,\u2019 she said. \u2018I am a scientist as well as an artist and I thought \u201clet me try this out and see what I can do\u201d,\u2019 she explained. \u2018It was never meant maliciously. She was never going to take anyone\u2019s jobs or anything like that, and we still haven\u2019t done that.\u2019<\/p>\n

When she was introduced, Tilly was described as \u2018the next Scarlett Johansson<\/a> or Natalie Portman<\/a>\u2019. Her Instagram also features a string of posts showing her in faux filming tests and even superimposed on The Graham Norton<\/a> Show\u2019s iconic red couch.<\/p>\n

Although much of the criticism of Tilly centred around concerns she would take the job of a human actor, Eline stresses there are no plans for her to appear on screen alongside a real-life co-star.<\/p>\n

Instead, she will feature in AI-generated content, with several productions featuring the actress already in development.<\/p>\n

For Eline, AI actors are simply the next step in the screen industry, predicting a \u2018creative renaissance\u2019 is on its way. She also views embracing the technology as a way to \u2018future-proof\u2019 her career.<\/p>\n

As she explains, Tilly is also an \u2018extension\u2019 of herself, who is a \u2018vessel\u2019 to act through.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Metro
\n\t\tEline said creating Tilly has allowed her to \u2018future-proof\u2019 her career (Picture: Particle6)<\/p>\n

\u2018You can still be creative \u2013 all those creative thoughts still go into Tilly when she needs to become a new character. All of that creative energy and skill is in there. I\u2019ve been more creative than ever before \u2013 even more so than as an actor,\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n

The roll-out of Tilly sparked intense discussions about the role of AI in the entertainment industry, which Eline admits was her goal.<\/p>\n

\u2018I wanted to help the creative industry prepare for this creative revolution that is coming,\u2019 she shared. \u2018It\u2019s a new evolution in our industry and us as creatives need to be prepared for it. If we hadn\u2019t done it, someone else would have. I was very happy I was able to inform everyone of where the tech is at with something like Tilly.\u2019<\/p>\n

Addressing the \u2018fearmongering\u2019 that AI is going to take jobs from people, Eline said she\u2019s witnessed the complete opposite to date. \u2018It\u2019s actually hiring a crazy amount of people for jobs that haven\u2019t existed before. So actually, I think it\u2019s job creation that is happening rather than job losses.\u2019<\/p>\n

When asked what the biggest misconception about Tilly and AI actors were, she singled out the incorrect belief that very little work went into creating them, with 15 working together to make Tilly herself.<\/p>\n

\u2018People just think it\u2019s a button you press and she gets created, as opposed to there being a whole team working to create her and build up a whole universe and brain \u2013 what she thinks, sounds and looks like. There is so much to create and just using these tools in order to do it and experimenting in a new creative way,\u2019 she said. \u2018There is real humanity and humans behind this.\u2019 She went on to share how she thought there might have been similar concerns when animation \u2018first arrived\u2019.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Natasha
\n\t\tNatasha Lyonne said Tilly was \u2018deeply misguided and totally disturbed\u2019 (Picture: Tommaso Boddi\/ Variety via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Despite the strings of creatives who spoke out against Tilly, several directors have already expressed their interest in working with her. But due to the concerns over pushback, they\u2019ve chosen to remain anonymous for the time being.<\/p>\n

As Eline explains: \u2018We understand it\u2019s tricky out there. But we are giving people time to accept that this is where it is going.\u2019<\/p>\n

Looking forward to the future of the screen industry, she went on to assert that there would be \u2018very few films made without AI\u2019 in the coming years.<\/p>\n

\u2018That will be unheard of \u2013 it will be like not using electricity of Wi-Fi. But there are humans behind these characters which will make people feel more comfortable with the idea of AI actors. We are already seeing it on the internet \u2013 but just not an AI A-lister yet,\u2019 she went on.<\/p>\n

Although Eline wanted Tilly to be a \u2018groundbreaking\u2019 disruptor in the industry, she didn\u2019t anticipate just how huge the response would be.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"***EDITORS
\n\t\tThe AI actress is now set to be the centre of the \u2018Tillyverse\u2019 (Picture: Xicoia\/ Tilly Norwood, Instagram, Particle6)<\/p>\n

Acknowledging people\u2019s concerns, she also pointed to how she found seeing her first AI-generated image and viewing it as \u2018scary\u2019. But as she explained, AI actors and musicians were \u2018basically an extension of the people that created them\u2019, comparing them to writers who create characters on a page.<\/p>\n

As she inches closer to announcing Tilly\u2019s first major projects, Eline doesn\u2019t apologise for her groundbreaking invention \u2013 backing it as a first step in a major overhaul for the screen industry.<\/p>\n

\u2018As an artist you just want to spark a conversation \u2013 it doesn\u2019t matter if positive or negative. That\u2019s the point of the art \u2013 creating something to get people talking and we did that and I\u2019m really happy,\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n

\u2018Hopefully it sparks a lot of people futureproofing themselves because that is the goal. And I think loads of companies, studios and actors have taken steps since Tilly has been released to future-proof themselves as part of this new world. I am happy and proud to have been able to help with that.\u2019<\/p>\n

Got a story?<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk<\/a> entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff<\/a> page \u2013 we\u2019d love to hear from you.<\/p>\n

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