AI performer Tilly Norwood names Tom Holland and Olivia Colman as dream co-stars
An AI performer called Tilly Norwood was presented at the Zurich Film Festival by its creator, Eline van der Velden. The bot has said it would like to collaborate with Tom Holland and Olivia Colman. Van der Velden described the project as a way to help the creative industry respond to AI rather than be overtaken by it.
Tilly Norwood is an AI performer created by Eline van der Velden and showcased at the Zurich Film Festival, one year after its initial debut there. Its speech sometimes shifts unexpectedly between English and Cantonese. Van der Velden said the project aims to help creative professionals engage with AI rather than be displaced by it.
Norwood named Tom Holland and Olivia Colman as desired collaborators, specifying that they would appear as digital doubles in an AI-made production. Van der Velden’s studio, Particle 6, has expanded substantially and works across advertising, film, television, co-productions, original commissions, and AI consulting. She is also developing a hybrid project called Snow Dogs with Rob Minkoff.
The emergence of AI performers like Tilly Norwood could intensify debates among actors, writers, and crews about credit, consent, and employment. Studios and advertisers may gain cheaper prototyping or virtual casting options, while audiences could encounter more hybrid human-AI projects. If digital likenesses are used, performers may seek clearer agreements over how their images and voices are licensed. Festivals and industry groups may also face pressure to discuss transparency around AI in filmmaking.