Emily Ota | Head Editor
October 10, 2025
Just as we thought AI could not impact our lives any more, Tilly Norwood, an AI actress, has been brought into the world. Artificial intelligence had originally been introduced as an educational tool used for studying and information, but Norwood is the first example of AI moving in a more culturally based direction.
Norwood is a young, brunette, AI woman created by Dutch producer Eline Van der Velden and Xicoia, Van der Velden’s very own “AI talent studio.” Van der Velden famously remarked that she wants her creation to be “the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman” and revealed that Norwood has been or is in the process of being signed by a real talent agency.
For actors and viewers alike, Norwood is a concerning development. While she is a showcase of technology and human achievement, she also contradicts everything that made her. Her existence is thanks to the brilliant minds of humans, but she symbolizes the artificial takeover of humans at the same time. If Norwood were to begin starring in films, that would mean less roles for real actors who need the job and would take away from the hard work of humans. Avery Santore, a senior at SCHS who has been doing musical theater for five years, claimed that “AI shouldn’t be used at all,” let alone in theater because it takes away from the real art aspect of film. To add on, Mrs. Wyatt, San Clemente High’s drama teacher, argued that AI has no place in Hollywood and that “AI actors and AI jobs only benefit the studios and big corporations.” Studios are moving forward in the artificial direction because human labor costs more money and time, and these business owners are too lazy to put the effort into that.
There’s also the question of whether or not she will be able to act well. She is artificially created to be amazing at her job, but many wonder if her lack of reality will cause her to have less emotion than a real actress. The best actors of all time are able to express raw feelings, something that Norwood will not be able to recreate. Santore referred to Norwood as “a waste and pointless” because she will never be able to evoke human emotions. Similarly, Mrs. Wyatt stated that AI cannot “bring themselves into their art” as humans can because they “have nothing to draw on to give any depth or nuance.”
Another controversy surrounding Norwood is her uncanny resemblance to other actresses and celebrities. One notable twin is Stella Hennen, an indie musician who went viral for pointing out her doppelganger. Other similar looking women include Briony Monroe, Florence Pugh, and Hailee Steinfeld. By creating an AI version of real women, Van der Velden is completely discrediting the capabilities of actresses. Santore asked the question, “If she looks like real actresses, why not just hire them?” People’s obsession with technology and artificial intelligence is the root cause in eerie developments such as Norwood, and is in turn causing them to overlook the talent humans naturally have.
Going forward, it is unclear whether Norwood is an indicator of more AI involvement in the arts. Wyatt claimed that she is sure more artificial actors will be created, and fears that “AI actors lead to AI writers and directors…until it is just a project without human involvement, and that’s not art.” Artificial intelligence is slowly killing Hollywood, and it is sadly traced back to the greed of humans.
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