Actress Emily Blunt strongly criticized the rise of AI-generated performers, specifically calling out an AI actress named Tilly Norwood during an interview for an upcoming episode of Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast. The interview, recorded before the Los Angeles premiere of A24’s The Smashing Machine, was reported by Variety on September 29, 2025. According to the report, during the conversation, Blunt was presented with a recent headline about Tilly Norwood, who had gained industry attention after talent agencies started showing interest in signing her. When shown Norwood’s image, Blunt responded with disbelief.“No, are you serious? That’s an AI? Good Lord, we’re screwed. That is really, really scary. Come on, agencies, don’t do that. Please stop. Please stop taking away our human connection,” she exclaimed.Blunt also admitted that she finds it hard to express her feelings but emphasized her discomfort with the rise of artificial performers.“Does it disappoint me? I don’t know how to quite answer it, other than to say how terrifying this is,” she added.She also responded to Variety’s comment that Norwood was made to look like a mix of well-known stars and was even called “the next Scarlett Johansson.” Blunt rejected the idea completely, saying:“But we have Scarlett Johansson.”Her remarks came at a time of growing controversy over the use of AI in Hollywood, as actors increasingly called for stronger protections to safeguard their likenesses, voices, and creative work from being copied without permission.AI actress Tilly Norwood faces strong criticism from Hollywood actors and the actors’ guildTilly Norwood (Image via Instagram/@Tillynorwood )Emily Blunt was not the first to voice concern about Tilly Norwood, the artificial intelligence “actress” who has sparked controversy across the film industry. Tilly Norwood, the first AI-generated performer from Xicoia, was created by AI talent studio Particle6, a spin-out of Eline Van der Velden’s production company. She was unveiled at the Zurich Film Festival during the Zurich Summit, where Van der Velden announced on September 27 that agents were already interested in the AI character and that her representation would be confirmed in the coming months. However, the launch was quickly met with backlash from several actors, including Melissa Barrera, Mara Wilson, and Ralph Ineson. According to Variety, Barrera expressed her frustration on Instagram, writing that she hoped agents supporting the initiative would be dropped, calling it “gross” and urging them to “read the room.” Mara Wilson raised a sharper ethical concern, questioning why studios would choose to create a virtual face from parts of real women rather than hire actual performers.“And what about the hundreds of living young women whose faces were composited together to make her? You couldn’t hire any of them?” she wrote (as per Variety).The strongest institutional response came from SAG-AFTRA, which issued a formal statement condemning the project. The union rejected the idea of presenting Norwood as a legitimate performer, instead labeling her a synthetic performer.“SAG-AFTRA believes creativity is, and should remain, human-centered. The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics,” the union stated.The statement also emphasized that Norwood was not an actor in any real sense but a character created from the unpaid work of countless professionals. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostIn response to the backlash, Van der Velden issued a statement on September 28, defending her creation, saying that Tilly Norwood was not intended to replace any actor.“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. Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that in itself shows the power of creativity,” Eline Van der Velden wrote in her statementVan der Velden also defended her creation by emphasizing that she does not see AI as a threat to actors but as an extension of creative possibilities. She explained that, in her view, artificial intelligence like Tilly Norwood functions like any other artistic medium, such as “animation, puppetry, or CGI,” which offer “fresh possibilities without taking away from live acting.”According to The Guardian, Tilly Norwood’s acting career so far has consisted of only a single AI-generated comedy sketch titled AI Commissioner.