Who Is Tilly Norwood? Backlash to the AI-Generated Actor, Explained
Who Is Tilly Norwood? Backlash to the AI-Generated Actor, Explained
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Publish Date: 2026-03-01 13:22:00
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Tilly Norwood has become one of the most divisive actresses in Hollywood — and she’s not even a human being.
The AI-generated actor was created by Eline Van der Velden, a Dutch actor and comedian who said at a tech event on Sept. 27 that a number of talent agents are interested in signing Norwood, according to Deadline.
The revelation by Van der Velden has sparked a backlash from Hollywood actors, directors and other creatives.
Here’s what to know.
Who is Tilly Norwood?
The world’s most controversial actor at the moment is an AI-generated creation of Xicoia, an artificial intelligence talent studio launched by Van der Velden.
The Dutch actor said at the Zurich Summit in Switzerland on Sept. 27 that companies are interested in using Norwood.
Tilly Norwood might seem real on the screen and her social media postings, but she’s actually the first creation of a new studio that develops AI actors. (@tillynorwood / Instagram via TODAY)
(@tillynorwood / Instagram via TODAY)
“We were in a lot of boardrooms around February time, and everyone was like, ‘No, this is nothing. It’s not going to happen’. Then, by May, people were like, ‘We need to do something with you guys.’ When we first launched Tilly, people were like, ‘What’s that?’ and now we’re going to be announcing which agency is going to be representing her in the next few months,” Van der Velden said in her presentation, according to Deadline.
Van der Velden then compared her aspirations with the AI-generated actor to real-life actors.
“We want Tilly to be the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman, that’s the aim of what we’re doing,” Van der Velden told the UK’s Broadcast International.
If a talent agency signs the AI-generated actor, it would make Norwood one of the first to be represented by the talent agents that have always worked with flesh-and-blood actors.
What is the Backlash Against Tilly Norwood?
Multiple actors and directors have spoken out against the notion of a 100% AI…
