→ You can now listen to all Ankler stories in the Substack app. Just hit the “play” arrow at the top right of the screen. Tilly Norwood: Exec Dream, Union Nightmare and an AI Actor Army Already on SetSAG-AFTRA is great at fighting the last war, not the one in front of itI write every other Tues. for paid subscribers. I explored how AI is threatening jobs across Hollywood and the impact of Sora 2 and ChatGPT-5 on development and production, and I interviewed Asteria’s Bryn Mooser about his strategy to safeguard IP.Hollywood’s collective blood pressure spiked the moment Tilly Norwood’s latest Instagram post went live. Not because the AI actress — a creation of London-based production company Particle6 and its AI studio, Xicoia — flubbed a line or missed her call time, but because she looks frighteningly castable. As Ankler CEO Janice Min reported from Web Summit Lisbon, where she interviewed Particle6’s Eline Van der Velden, there has “never been anything like Tilly in likeness, speech, physicality and personality.” The panic, the outrage, the existential dread? That’s not about novelty. It’s about a digital performer who, with zero union dues or trailer requests, threatens to rip up rules Hollywood spend decades to enshrine. Related:And Hollywood knows it. Emily Blunt called the concept “really, really scary.” SAG-AFTRA issued a statement warning that Tilly is “trained on the work of countless professional performers — without permission or compensation,” framing her as a direct threat to jobs. Yet the hysteria misses the nuance Van der Velden stressed to Min: “People were misinformed… They thought she was going to take their jobs. Tilly’s meant to be an AI actor in the AI genre.” Van der Velden insists the aim is additive, not cannibalistic: “I feel very strongly about the creative industries being in charge of these guidelines… as opposed to it being imposed by the tech industry,” she told Min. Still, most in Hollywood remain unconvinced. Industry insiders have expressed deep concern that Norwood’s ultra-realistic likeness, combined with her ability to perform endlessly on demand, could normalize the replacement of human actors in supporting roles. It’s not just the stunt — it’s the precedent. Once studios realize they can get an actor without paying residuals or negotiating schedules, studio heads might be asking themselves why they’re paying real actors at all. Particle6 is already proving that AI can be broadcast-ready. The company yesterday announced its third AI-driven series commission from Hearst Networks: Straten van Toen (Streets of the Past), a 10-episode short-form series for the History Channel in the Netherlands (Van der Velden is Dutch). The show, premiering in January, stars Dutch historian and reality star Corjan Mol digitally transported to historical moments — from 17th-century Amsterdam’s first stock exchange to WWII resistance activity at Janskerkhof in Utrecht. Particle6 blends live-action footage and archival materials (paintings, historical photos) with AI-driven reconstructions, creating cinematic, historically grounded moments that would be nearly impossible on a traditional production budget. “This is our first series where AI is majorly deployed on screen, all carefully guided by humans of course!” said Van der Velden in a statement. “It has proved the perfect creative partner.” Tilly Norwood lives in the same universe as this pipeline — a universe where AI isn’t a tool but a talent class. Hollywood is now confronting the reality it has spent years pretending was still decades away. Today, I break down what’s coming for actors, agents, unions and filmmakers as AI performers move from fringe curiosity to front-of-camera force, including:
This column is for paid subscribers only. Interested in a group sub for your team or company? Click here. For full access and to continue reading all Ankler content, paid subscribers can click here. Got a tip or story pitch? Email tips@theankler.com ICYMI from The AnklerThe Wakeup FCC-fueled local TV consolidation hits overdrive The Ellisons Made Their Trump Bed. First Whispers Hollywood May Finally Push Back Richard Rushfield hears rumblings the worm could be turning Adult Animation Boom: Inside TV’s Hot Sellers’ Market, Studio by Studio Netflix, HBO Max, Fox & Hulu, Amazon: The industry is bullish on toons, even with the AI elephant in the room. Here’s who’s spending — and what they want TV in 3 Acts: Mad Men Returns, Poker Face Folds, More Paramount Carnage Lesley Goldberg’s new weekly wrap on the small-screen headlines worth your time The Fence That Broke Brentwood: A Country Club’s Barbed Wire Ignites War The prison-like partition mysteriously sprung up along scenic San Vicente Blvd. without warning. Says one homeowner to Nicole LaPorte: ‘It’s like I live next to Sing Sing!’ A Fascinating (and Unsettling) Conversation with Tilly Norwood’s Creator In an interview with Janice Min, Eline Van der Velden reveals new footage, responds to outrage and says her AI actress will be able to think all on her own next year Is Disney Only for Rich People Now? With affordability America’s top worry, the studio’s push toward big spenders could alienate the next generation of fans, Entertainment Strategy Guy warns Indie Box Office Bloodbath: Awards Season Is Driving Films Off a Cliff Everyone is caught in the 2,000-screen trap, writes Richard. Plus: Congress demands answers on Paramount & Trump Ghosts in the Balcony: A Cross-Country Trip to 58 Theaters Fighting to Survive Introducing Crowd Pleaser, The Ankler’s new newsletter in partnership with Letterboxd: In the worst October for moviegoing since the ’90s, Matthew Frank crossed 20 states to hear the primal screen from people keeping film alive — even when Hollywood won’t $100 Million Hate-Watch: Inside Hulu’s All’s Fair Trainwreck — and How It Turned Around Lesley has scoop on the budget, cast paydays and behind-the-scenes drama from Kim Kardashian’s critically-savaged series that’s gone ‘zero to hero’ Governors Awards: My Night Inside Hollywood’s Starry Power Room Tom Cruise got an Oscar, the One Battle cast rolled deep and Timothée Chalamet was MIA (again!). Katey Rich reports on the awards event of the season so far June Squibb, 96, Is Having the Career Surge of a Lifetime The Oscar nominee is back on the circuit, headed to Broadway — and still waiting for her Western 🎬 Richard & Sean: Avatar vs. Wicked Showdown Coming — And Why Running Man Stumbled Breaking down Glen Powell’s disappointing opening 🎬 Mike De Luca & Pam Abdy on Making Box Office History in the Face of ‘Surreal’ Criticism The Warner Bros. bosses are wrapping the greatest year of hits in Hollywood and explain to Richard how they did it: ‘I refuse to believe we are in the end times’ 🎧 AI Warning Signs — How Hollywood Invited the Enemy Inside Tilly Norwood is the headline. The real story is the jobs collapse already underway More from Ankler MediaNew from Natalie Jarvey’s creator economy newsletter: Exclusive: What 188 Influencer Marketing Deals Signal About 2026’s Coming M&A Wave ‘IMDb for Creators’: How Famous Birthdays Took Over Gen Z — and Became Agents’ Scouting Tool Andy Lewis’ latest IP picks: A Groundhog Day Meets Only Murders Whodunit, a Hitchcockian Thriller A Descent into LA’s Dark Underbelly & A Southern Gothic Mystery |
Tilly Norwood: Exec Dream, Union Nightmare and an AI Actor Army Already on Set
November 18, 2025
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