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AI-generated actor sparks outrage in Hollywood, as creator seeks representation

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AI-generated actor sparks outrage in Hollywood, as creator seeks representation


Like thousands of actors, Tilly Norwood is looking for a Hollywood agent. Her greatest role? Pretending to be human.

That’s because Tilly Norwood is a 100% AI-generated product, created by Dutch producer and comedian  Eline Van der Velden, founder of a company named Xicoia, which bills itself as the world’s first artificial intelligence talent studio. Velden pitches her AI creation as the next Scarlet Johansen, and says there are several agents vying to represent it, CBS News’ Jo Ling Kent reported recently.

Since Velden launched the digital character’s prospective career, Tilly Norwood has been all the talk in Hollywood.

But not in a good way. Guilds, actors and filmmakers have met the Xicoia product with an immediate wave of backlash, protesting that artificial intelligence should not have a starring role in the acting profession. In a statement Tuesday, the Screen Actors Guild said that “creativity is, and should remain, human-centered.”

“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.”

Actor Sean Aston, who starred in “Lord of the Rings” and “The Goonies,” and was recently elected president of sag AFTRA, emphasized how AI Tilly Norwood is an artificial construct. 

“You’re made up of stuff that doesn’t belong to you,” he told CBS News. “Let’s just make sure that credit is given where credit is due.”

Van der Velden, who is also the founder of the AI production studio Particle6, promoted Tilly Norwood last month at the Zurich Summit, the industry sidebar of the Zurich Film Festival. It was there that she said talent agencies were circling Norwood and that she expected to soon announce a signing.

Many in Hollywood hope that never happens.

“Any talent agency that engages in this should be boycotted by all guilds,” wrote Natasha Lyonne on Instagram. The “Russian Doll” star is directing a feature titled “Uncanny Valley” that pledges to use “ethical” artificial intelligence in combination with traditional filmmaking techniques. “Deeply misguided & totally disturbed,” she added. “Not the way. Not the vibe. Not the use.”

Artificial intelligence is often used as a tool in film production, though its implementation is hotly debated. It was a major bargaining point in the lengthy strike by SAG-AFTRA that concluded in late 2023 with some safeguards put in place to protect the use of actors’ likenesses and performances by AI. A yearlong strike by video game actors hinged on AI protections. In July, video game actors approved a new contract that mandates employers obtain written permission to create a digital replica.

But there have been numerous controversies over the use of AI in acting. The Oscar-winning 2024 film “The Brutalist” used artificial intelligence for Hungarian dialogue spoken by Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones’ characters, the revelation of which prompted debate in the industry.

Van der Velden responded to the stir around Tilly Norwood on Instagram.

“To those who have expressed anger over the creation of my AI character, Tilly Norwood, she is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work — a piece of art,” Van der Velden said on Sunday. “Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that in itself shows the power of creativity.”

Van der Velden didn’t respond to interview requests Tuesday. In her post, she argued that AI characters should be judged as their own genre.

“Creating Tilly has been, for me, an act of imagination and craftsmanship, not unlike drawing a character, writing a role or shaping a performance,” she added. “It takes time, skill and iteration to bring such a character to life.”

That statement was also shared on Tilly Norwood’s own Instagram account. Posts include photos of the creation drinking coffee, shopping for clothes and preparing for various projects. As of Tuesday, the account had more than 33,000 followers.

“Had such a blast filming some screen tests recently,” one post reads. “Every day feels like a step closer to the big screen.”

Asked what human actors bring to a performance that AI can’t, Aston, SAG-AFTRA’s Aston said “authenticity,” adding, “You can fall in love. Your parents can die. You can you can be in some terrifying situation. The sum of all of our emotional experiences in our life, artificial intelligence can approximate it — it is not real.”





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Timothée Chalamet surpasses Leonardo DiCaprio milestone

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Timothée Chalamet surpasses Leonardo DiCaprio milestone


Timothée Chalamet surpasses Leonardo DiCaprio milestone: Discover details

Timothée Chalamet has settled into a spot previously occupied by Leonardo DiCaprio, less than a week after beating him to best actor glory at the 2026 Golden Globes.

The newly stamped winner’s film, Marty Supreme, has surpassed the DiCaprio-starrer One Battle After Another at the box office this week.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, the latest news was recorded on Tuesday, with Chalamet’s release “passing up Leonardo DiCaprio’s rival Oscar contender One Battle After Another to end the day with an estimated cume of $72.27 million.”

With the action thriller grossing “slightly north of $71.6 million” at the US box office, the A24 sports drama is currently the highest earner.

Furthermore, despite One Battle being ahead at the global turnover with an estimate of $154.5 million, Marty Supreme is also eyeing competition along the same territory.

“Based on early returns, box office experts believe Marty Supreme could do substantial business overseas and end up north of $170 million to $180 million globally, if not higher,” THR’s report claimed.

Timothée Chalamet’s latest achievement in his Leonardo DiCaprio competition comes just days after the younger star beat his formidable peer at the Golden Globes.

The American-French actor bagged Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy award, defeating the Titanic actor, who was one of his competitors in the same category.





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Labubu doll maker accused of unfair labour practices, Chinese Labour Watch reveals

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Labubu doll maker accused of unfair labour practices, Chinese Labour Watch reveals


Labubu doll maker accused of unfair labour practices, Chinese Labour Watch reveals

While the trendy toy Labubu has started fading from the scene after taking the world by storm, the Labubu manufacturer seems to be drawing criticism for allegedly exploiting workers, as claimed by a labour rights organisation, China Labour Watch (CLW).

CLW accused the Chinese factory that makes the popular Labubu dolls of exploiting its workforce.

A following investigation into the matter revealed that Shunjia Toys Co Ltd, a supplier for Pop Mart, subjected employees to excessive overtime, required them to sign blank or incomplete contracts, and denied them paid leave.

For those unfamiliar, the Labubu dolls, known for their viral appeal and sales in “blind boxes,” have gained immense traction worldwide.

Responding to the allegations, Pop Mart stated that it is probing the claims and emphasised its commitment to ensuring that suppliers rectify any identified issues.

Pop Mart conducts regular audits of its suppliers, including annual independent reviews by internationally recognised inspectors. The investigation by CLW involved 51 in-person interviews with factory workers regarding recruitment, contracts, and working conditions.

The factory, located in Guangdong province, has over 4,500 workers and is the primary manufacturing facility for Pop Mart.

As outlined in CLW’s report, several labour violations were committed at Shunjia Toys, including illegal overtime, unclear contract practices, and inadequate safety training.

While no child labour was found, the factory employed 16-year-olds under the same conditions as adults, violating Chinese labour laws that mandate special protections for minors.

CLW urged Pop Mart to take immediate action to address these issues, compensate affected workers, and comply with both Chinese labour laws and international standards. 





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Man shot in leg identified — here’s what we know

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Man shot in leg identified — here’s what we know


Minneapolis ICE shooting: Man shot in leg identified — here’s what we know

The Minneapolis city situation has flared up after an ICE agent shot a man in the leg who tried to flee a targeted traffic stop, says the Department of Homeland Security.

The shooting incident occurred in the 600 block of 24th Avenue North, just 12 miles north of where Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed last week.

Minneapolis ICE shooting: Man shot in leg identified — here’s what we know

Minneapolis ICE shooting: Here’s what actually happened

The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) the officer fired the weapon after “fearing for his life and safety.”

The statement said the agents were conducting a traffic stop “of an illegal alien from Venezuela who was released into the country by Joe Biden in 2022.”

The DHS detailed the operation of what actually caused the incident to turn into a shooting, claiming, “In an attempt to evade arrest, the subject fled the scene in his vehicle and crashed into a parked car. The subject then fled on foot.”

The department claimed that after the agent caught up with the man, he “began to resist and violently assault the officer.”

That resulted in an ambush by two other people appearing from a nearby apartment building who “also attacked the law enforcement officer with a snow shovel and broom handle.”

The DHS claimed it was a defensive shot by the federal agent, adding, “Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired a defensive shot to defend his life. The initial subject was hit in the leg.”

After one man received a shot, they fled from the scene back to the apartment and locked themselves inside but were apprehended by authorities, as reported by the Independent.

Both the detained officer and the Venezuelan man are being treated in the hospital, while the other two individuals are in detention.

On the other hand, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara called a protest that erupted in response to the shooting tonight unlawful and asked the protesters to disperse immediately.

The city police chief said, “It is well past the line, and people need to leave,” adding, “This is already a very tense situation, we do not need this to escalate any further.”

After the incident, there have been over 2,000 federal agents deployed in the city, as reported by NBC News.

The outlet also reported that, since the news broke, the situation has flared up in the city.

The DHS is claiming the operation in Minnesota is its biggest to date, with more than 2,400 people having been arrested since it began on November 29, 2025.





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