Emily Blunt didn’t know the news when she arrived for an upcoming episode of the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast this week. She stopped by the studio before the Los Angeles premiere of A24’s “The Smashing Machine” on Monday night, where she was given a new headline: an AI-created actress named Tilly Norwood had been revealed over the weekend and was already getting attention from talent agents.
During the interview, Variety shared the report with Blunt and had her read parts of it aloud. Her reaction was instant.
Does it disappoint me? I don’t know how to quite answer it, other than to say how terrifying this is. After seeing an image of Norwood, she reacted, No, are you serious? That’s an AI? Good Lord, we’re screwed. That is really, really scary, Come on, agencies, don’t do that. Please stop. Please stop taking away our human connection.
Blunt said
Tilly Norwood is the first project from Xicoia, a new AI talent studio started by Eline Van der Velden’s company Particle6. Van der Velden announced it at the Zurich Summit during the Zurich Film Festival, saying studios are quietly working on similar projects and more news will come soon.
Blunt, clearly shaken, pointed out that Norwood was made to look like a mix of well-known actors. Variety told her, “They want her to be the next Scarlett Johannson.”
But we have Scarlett Johansson.
She calmly replied
Her comments come while Hollywood is still debating the use of AI in film and TV. The issue of digital likeness and AI protection was central in last year’s WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, with actors demanding safeguards against their images and voices being copied without permission. The news quickly sparked reactions from actors like Melissa Barrera, Lukas Gage and others.
Blunt appears in “The Smashing Machine” with Dwayne Johnson, playing Dawn Staples, the partner of MMA fighter Mark Kerr. Directed by Benny Safdie, the film premiered at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals, where it moved audiences and the cast, and it has already gained early Oscar buzz.
Source: Variety