Artificial intelligence is making headlines in ever more surprising places. Now it’s in the spotlight in Hollywood. The recently revealed “AI actress” Tilly Norwood is stirring debate across the entertainment world. Created by Xicoia (a tech division of Particle6), Tilly is a fully AI-generated performer. Her look, movements, and “performance” are all computer driven. Actors, unions, and critics alike are questioning what this means for human performers.
Hello Magazine asked Steve Roop, Littlefield’s AI and Content Director, for his take on this shift. Roop said he sees AI in entertainment not as a radical break but more as the next evolution in special effects. He notes, “We’ve had non-human characters in films for decades … the difference now is that AI can generate both the look and the performance without a voice actor in the mix.” In his view, this is AI joining the toolkit of creators — not yet replacing the emotional depth real humans bring.
Still, Roop draws a clear line when it comes to storytelling and connection. He emphasizes that while AI can handle certain visual tasks, it can’t deliver lived experience or emotional nuance. “Actors’ humanity is still the irreplaceable ingredient audiences connect with,” Roop says. He also shares that as a filmmaker, he’d choose human performers who bring real depth and authenticity, qualities algorithms are far from replicating.
