The First 'AI Actress' Tilly Norwood: A Story That Sounds Like a Script

WSJ reported that producer Elaine Van der Velden literally 'invented' Tilly in the bathroom of a London club — and turned that joke into the world's first actress created entirely by artificial intelligence. For six months, the team generated thousands of variations of face and voice, assembling the perfect image: lively facial expressions, a British intonation, character, and even habits. That's how Tilly Norwood came to be — a virtual artist who jokes, flirts, argues, and even snaps back at her creator.

When Elaine introduced Tilly 'to the public', a real storm broke out. Hollywood actors and directors saw her as a threat to the profession: Cameron called such characters 'creepy', del Toro said they were 'soulless', and Emily Blunt, according to witnesses, became noticeably nervous. Unions started talking about a potential catastrophe for the industry, where studios could replace live actors with digital copies.

But what's interesting: the audience themselves received Tilly differently. On social media, people say that AI actresses could become a new genre, like the emergence of CGI once was. Some even like the idea of an actor who never ages, doesn't demand fees, and can play roles of any complexity. Critics, however, are certain — as long as real people stand behind Tilly, she remains just a tool, not a full-fledged replacement for artists.