Meet Tilly Norwood. She is the “IT” girl. She is as talented and pretty as they come. Has a fabulous camera presence. The only issue is that Tilly isn’t human. She is a hyperreal, AI-generated performer created by Xicoia, an AI talent studio founded by actor and producer Eline Van der Velden.
The company introduced Tilly during an emerging technology panel at the Zurich Summit and said agencies are already showing interest, according to Deadline.
Xicoia positions Tilly as the first in a slate of digital personalities that could appear in film and television, lead brand campaigns, host podcasts, engage on social platforms and even anchor video games. Van der Velden, who also leads the indie production outfit Particle 6, frames the project as a creative tool rather than a threat to live performers.
“We want Tilly to be the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman,” Van der Velden told Broadcast International, adding that AI can remove budget barriers and open up new creative options.
“I see AI not as a replacement for people, but as a new tool, a new paintbrush,” she said in a later statement, comparing the technology to animation, puppetry and CGI as ways to expand storytelling without supplanting actors.
The reveal sparked immediate backlash from working talent who fear the commercial adoption of synthetic performers. After Deadline reported that multiple agencies had met with Xicoia, Melissa Barrera wrote on Instagram Stories, “Hope all actors repped by the agent that does this, drop their a$. How gross, read the room.”
Mara Wilson questioned the practice of compositing faces to build an artificial star, commenting, “And what about the hundreds of living young women whose faces were composited together to make her? You could not hire any of them?”
Other actors weighed in with humor. Lukas Gage joked that Tilly “was a nightmare to work with,” while Odessa A’zion quipped that the AI performer “threw coffee in my face,” as captured by Deadline.
The push and pull reflects a larger industry conversation that accelerated during last year’s WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which put clear guardrails for AI front and center. Some studios are exploring AI for efficiencies and new formats. Many performers and creators are demanding protections for likeness, voice, and job security.
Xicoia says its digital characters come with backstories, distinct voices, and interactive capabilities that can adapt to platforms in real-time. The company argues these traits make them useful across entertainment and marketing. Critics counter that replacing human expression with algorithmic performance risks flattening the very qualities audiences value most on screen.
Whether Tilly Norwood becomes a novelty or a viable above-the-title name is an open question. What is certain is that her high-profile debut has forced Hollywood to confront the practical and ethical realities of AI talent now, not someday. As Van der Velden puts it, Tilly is meant to “spark conversation.” Judging by the reaction across social media, agencies and guild circles, she already has.
Thoughts?
Lexi Carson covers the buzziest campaigns, brand beefs, and streaming shake-ups. She’s known for her razor-sharp takes, obsession with 90s ad jingles, and a red bob that’s never once missed a deadline.
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