Hollywood is facing a new kind of star power with "AI actor" Tilly Norwood and the newly announced "Tillyverse," a digital world where artificial intelligence characters can collaborate and build AI acting careers. Norwood's creator Eline van der Velden, a Dutch producer and comedian, said she is planning a "rapid expansion" for her digital acting creation by building a universe around her.
Van der Velden will be joined by Prime Video's Mark Whelan as head of strategy of the Tillyverse and operations at her new AI talent studio Xiocia, Variety reports. 1:59 AI-generated 'actress' Tilly Norwood sparks Hollywood backlash Whelan will help create the Tillyverse, set to launch later in 2026 and described in a press release as a "dynamic, constantly evolving digital universe where Tilly and a new generation of AI characters will live, collaborate and build careers." Story continues below advertisement Xiocia is "building IP at scale and redefining how talent is created, developed and experienced in the AI era," according to the press release.
The plan is to also create "bespoke AI talent" for third parties. View this post on Instagram"Tilly Norwood isn't just an AI character - she's a personality, a brand, and a future global superstar with a compelling narrative arc. Mark will help us craft and shape every layer of her world, from her humour, daily life and career choices to how she interacts with fans across various platforms. It all promises to be bold, playful, a little chaotic - and impossible to ignore," Van der Velden said. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Whelan said Tilly, a character made entirely by artificial intelligence, "already has the momentum, an audience and the cultural spark." Story continues below advertisement "Now we're writing her story and building her universe. It's a huge responsibility - but an incredibly exciting one. I think the world is going to have a lot of fun watching what happens next," he added. 2:46 Alberta experts concerned about privacy and AI Norwood was first announced last October after she started negotiating with talent agencies."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,'" Van der Velden told Deadline's Diana Lodderhose. Trending Now At least 2 dead, 14 injured in Texas bar shooting 'Something just went off': Canadians in Middle East describe 'surreal' Iran missile strikes "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." Story continues below advertisement Not everyone was excited about Norwood potentially signing with a talent agency.
In a statement, the Screen Actors Guild said that "creativity is, and should remain, human-centered." More on World More videos Trump says Iran war timeline is likely 4-5 weeks but could go 'far longer' Austin, Texas bar shooting: What we know so far about the suspect, victims As U.S. and Israel trade blows with Iran, what's next? Hegseth says 'this is not Iraq' as strikes on Iran ignite regional conflict Texas shooting: Federal, city officials say suspected shooter at Austin bar wasn't on their radar Elimination of the Office of the Merit Commissioner B.C. man's falconry legend lives on Study finds earthquake risk with West End Vancouver high rises and concrete buildings "To be clear, 'Tilly Norwood' is not an actor, it's a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers - without permission or compensation," the guild said. "It has no life experience to draw from, no emotion and, from what we've seen, audiences aren't interested in watching computer-generated content untethered from the human experience."In response to the backlash, Van der Velden shared a statement on Norwood's Instagram, writing, "To those who have expressed anger over the creation of our AI character, Tilly Norwood: she is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work - a piece of art.""Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that in itself shows the power of creativity," Van der Velden continued. "I see AI not as a replacement for people, but as a new tool - a new paintbrush. Just as animation, puppetry, or CGI opened fresh possibilities without taking away from live acting, AI offers another way to imagine and build stories."Van der Velden said she believes that AI characters should be judged as part of their own genre and on their own merits rather than compared directly with "human actors." Story continues below advertisem