Creator of AI Actress Tilly Norwood Plans 40 Additional Digital Actors

Eline Van der Velden, the actress and technologist behind AI-generated performer Tilly Norwood, confirmed plans to create at least 40 additional digital actors through her AI talent studio Xicoia. The announcement comes one month after Tilly Norwood sparked widespread controversy when Van der Velden revealed at the Zurich Summit in September 2025 that talent agents were interested in representing the AI character.

Van der Velden told Deadline in an exclusive interview published November 7, 2025, that she intends to "create 40 very diverse characters to build her whole universe and to play in this AI genre with a whole new cast." She clarified that while a few characters are in development, none are ready for public release, noting that Tilly herself required approximately six months of iterative work.

The development represents a significant expansion of AI-generated performers in entertainment, despite immediate and sustained opposition from actors unions, major talent agencies, and prominent Hollywood figures.

The Tilly Norwood Backlash

Tilly Norwood gained sudden notoriety when Van der Velden announced at the Zurich Summit on September 28, 2025, that she was in discussions with talent agents about representation for the AI actress. Deadline first reported the story, which rapidly spread across global media outlets.

The response from the entertainment industry proved immediate and critical. SAG-AFTRA, the union representing approximately 160,000 film and television actors, issued a statement declaring that "creativity should remain human-centered" and clarified that Tilly Norwood "is not an actor—it's a character generated by a computer program trained on the work of countless professional performers, without permission or compensation."

Major talent agency WME publicly stated it would not represent AI actors. Actors including Whoopi Goldberg and Emily Blunt criticized the development. Ryan Reynolds referenced the controversy in an advertisement that named a character "Natalie Norwood" rather than Tilly, which Van der Velden noted as evidence of Tilly's uniqueness since no real person shares that exact name.

British actors union Equity joined the criticism, stating that AI-generated characters are "fundamentally disconnected from the craft of acting."

Despite the public backlash, Van der Velden confirmed to Deadline that conversations with talent agencies continue. She declined to name specific agencies but indicated multiple firms remain interested in representing AI characters, viewing it as a potential new business category.

Creation Process and Ethical Claims

Van der Velden describes Tilly Norwood as a "work of art" created through what she characterizes as an ethical and transparent process. The development involved a team of 15 people working over approximately six months using tools including OpenAI and DeepSeek to generate Tilly's appearance, voice, and background story.

Van der Velden, who has backgrounds in both physics and acting, founded AI production studio Particle6 a decade ago. Xicoia launched in 2025 as a dedicated AI talent studio focused on creating and managing digital performers.

The creator emphasized in her Deadline interview that Tilly was not created using any specific real person's likeness without permission. She stated the process involved extensive iteration on appearance, voice characteristics, biographical details, and other defining attributes.

Van der Velden positioned AI actors as a new creative medium comparable to animation or CGI rather than a replacement for human performers. She told Deadline, "I feel strongly that there are three genres: animation, traditional live action and the AI genre. Tilly was always meant to be in her AI genre, and that's where she'll stay."

Behind-the-Scenes Interest

While public statements from major agencies and unions opposed AI actors, Van der Velden revealed a different dynamic occurring privately. She told Deadline that despite the backlash, "we have been absolutely inundated with requests of top talent. We're talking to Academy Award-winning writers, directors and actors who want to explore this space to see where this can go for them."

This disconnect between public positions and private interest reflects the entertainment industry's complex relationship with AI technology. The 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike included AI usage as a central concern, resulting in contract language addressing digital replicas and AI-generated performances.

Van der Velden suggested that while unions and agencies maintain public opposition, individual creatives and business decision-makers recognize AI actors as an emerging reality requiring engagement rather than outright rejection.

The "AI Genre" Concept

Van der Velden frames AI-generated performers as occupying a distinct category she calls the "AI genre," existing alongside but separate from live-action and animated content. This positioning attempts to address concerns that AI actors will displace human performers.

The concept suggests that AI characters would appear in content explicitly identified as AI-generated, similar to how audiences understand animated films feature animated characters rather than human actors. Van der Velden stated, "Tilly is not going to take your job," emphasizing that AI actors would operate in their own creative space.

However, this distinction faces practical questions about implementation and enforcement. Traditional animation and live action have clear production methodologies and audience expectations. The boundaries of an "AI genre" remain undefined, particularly regarding hybrid productions combining AI-generated elements with human performances.

Critics argue that economic pressures will ultimately determine AI actor usage rather than voluntary genre distinctions. Studios facing budget constraints may opt for lower-cost AI performers regardless of stated intentions to maintain separate categories.

What This Means for AI Filmmakers

The expansion of AI actor development creates both opportunities and complications for independent filmmakers working with AI tools.

Potential Applications

Digital actors like Tilly Norwood represent a different approach than current AI video generation workflows. Rather than generating individual shots from text prompts, a developed AI character could theoretically appear consistently across multiple scenes, maintaining recognizable features and mannerisms.

For filmmakers lacking access to actors, locations, or traditional production resources, established AI characters might provide consistent "cast members" for projects. This consistency addresses one of the major challenges in current AI video generation—maintaining character appearance across shots.

Xicoia's business model suggests these AI actors would be available through licensing arrangements similar to stock footage or music libraries. Filmmakers could potentially cast specific AI characters the way they currently source other production assets.

Production Workflow Integration

Integrating AI actors into production pipelines differs from standard AI video generation. Instead of prompting for generic "woman in red coat," filmmakers could specify "Tilly Norwood in red coat," theoretically getting consistent results matching the character's established appearance.

This approach might reduce iteration required to achieve consistency across shots. Current AI video workflows require multiple generation attempts to match character features between scenes. Pre-defined AI actors eliminate some of this uncertainty.

However, the technology's actual capabilities remain unclear from public information. Van der Velden's statements focus on character creation rather than technical integration details. Filmmakers would need documentation on how to implement these AI actors in production workflows, what file formats or API access would be provided, and how much customization would be possible.

Cost Considerations

No pricing information has been announced for accessing Xicoia's AI actors. Cost structure will significantly impact adoption by independent filmmakers. Subscription models, per-use licensing, or project-based fees each create different economic considerations.

Traditional stock footage and asset libraries price based on usage type and distribution scope. AI actors might follow similar models, with different rates for educational versus commercial projects, limited versus broad distribution, and exclusive versus non-exclusive usage.

Filmmakers should consider whether AI actor licensing costs compete favorably with current AI video generation expenses or represent additional budget requirements on top of existing tools.

Legal and Rights Issues

Using pre-made AI actors introduces questions about attribution, usage rights, and commercial licensing that differ from generating original AI content.

When filmmakers generate their own AI video content, they typically own the output subject to the AI model's terms of service. Licensing an AI actor from Xicoia would involve different ownership structures, with the character itself remaining Xicoia's intellectual property.

This arrangement resembles licensing stock footage or music more than generating original content. Filmmakers would need clear documentation of:

• What usage rights are granted with licensing fees
• Whether attribution to Xicoia or the AI actor is required
• How commercial rights are structured
• Whether exclusivity options exist for projects
• How derivative works using the AI actor are handled

Van der Velden's emphasis on ethical and transparent practices suggests detailed licensing terms, but specifics remain unavailable publicly.

Industry Reaction and Future Direction

The planned expansion to 40 AI actors indicates Van der Velden views the controversy as validating rather than deterring her business model. She told Deadline the global attention proved beneficial: "When I first envisioned Tilly, I did imagine global stardom for her, that's what she was built for. For that to come true has been a funny self-fulfilling prophecy."

The entertainment industry faces decisions about how to respond to AI actors as the technology develops regardless of individual opinions. Questions include:

Representation: Will traditional talent agencies create AI character divisions despite public statements opposing the technology? Van der Velden expects to announce Tilly's representation in coming months.

Regulation: How will unions and industry organizations address AI actors in contracts and agreements? The 2023 SAG-AFTRA contract included AI provisions, but technology continues evolving beyond what those terms anticipated.

Awards and Recognition: Van der Velden suggested AI characters might warrant their own awards categories. This raises questions about how the industry recognizes AI-generated performances and whether they compete with human actors for existing honors.

Audience Acceptance: Consumer response to AI actors remains uncertain beyond early adopters and technology enthusiasts. Mainstream audience comfort with AI performers will significantly impact commercial viability.

Technical Limitations and Considerations

While Van der Velden promotes Tilly Norwood's quality, AI-generated video faces ongoing technical challenges that affect practical filmmaking applications.

Current AI video models struggle with temporal consistency across longer sequences, precise control over movement and expressions, and maintaining character features across different camera angles and lighting conditions. These limitations affect how AI actors would function in actual production contexts.

Van der Velden noted that creating Tilly required six months of iterative work, suggesting significant manual refinement beyond automated generation. Filmmakers should understand what aspects of AI actor usage require similar manual processes versus what can be accomplished through straightforward prompting.

The team of 15 people involved in Tilly's creation indicates substantial human effort behind AI-generated characters. This staffing requirement raises questions about whether using pre-made AI actors actually reduces production complexity or simply shifts it to different areas.

Xicoia Business Model

Van der Velden founded Xicoia as an AI talent studio within her existing Particle6 production company. The business model positions Xicoia as creating, managing, and monetizing AI-generated performers similar to how traditional talent agencies represent human actors.

This structure suggests several potential revenue streams:

• Licensing AI actors for film, television, and commercial projects
• Managing AI character social media presence and brand partnerships
• Developing AI actor merchandising and intellectual property
• Creating original content featuring Xicoia AI actors

The 40-character expansion plan indicates ambition to build a roster of AI talent with different characteristics, demographics, and specializations. Van der Velden emphasized diversity in the planned characters, though specific details about representation across age, ethnicity, and other attributes remain undisclosed.

Practical Questions for Filmmakers

Filmmakers considering AI actors in their work should evaluate several practical factors:

Technical Integration: How do AI actors integrate with existing video generation tools? Can they be used with Runway, Pika, Kling, or other platforms filmmakers already use?

Customization Options: How much control do filmmakers have over AI actor appearance, performance, and actions in specific scenes?

Production Timeline: Does using pre-made AI actors reduce generation time compared to creating original characters for each project?

Output Quality: How does footage featuring AI actors compare to current AI video generation quality? Are there specific advantages or limitations?

Distribution Requirements: Do projects using licensed AI actors face restrictions on where and how they can be distributed?

These questions remain largely unanswered based on currently available information. Filmmakers should seek detailed specifications before committing to workflows dependent on AI actors.

Alternative Approaches

Independent filmmakers have multiple options for incorporating AI-generated characters in projects:

Generate Original Characters: Use existing AI video tools to create unique characters for specific projects, maintaining full creative control and ownership.

Hybrid Workflows: Combine real actors with AI-generated elements, using AI for specific effects, environments, or supplementary characters.

Traditional Animation: Consider whether established animation workflows better serve project needs than emerging AI actor technology.

Stock AI Footage: Use AI-generated stock video footage for specific shots rather than committing to character-based licensing.

Each approach involves different trade-offs regarding cost, creative control, technical complexity, and legal considerations.

Looking Forward

Van der Velden's plan to create 40 AI actors signals confidence that the technology and business model will gain traction despite current opposition. She expressed interest in helping establish industry standards for AI usage and positioning herself as a leader in the emerging space.

The development timeline remains unclear. Van der Velden stated that while some characters are in progress, none are ready for release, and the process takes substantial time. Filmmakers interested in these tools should not expect immediate availability.

The broader trajectory of AI actors depends on factors beyond any single company's efforts:

• Continued AI video generation improvements enabling better character consistency
• Industry regulation and contract terms governing AI performer usage
• Audience acceptance of AI characters in entertainment content
• Economic pressures driving studios toward or away from AI actors
• Legal challenges related to training data and rights management

Conclusion

The planned expansion of Xicoia's AI actor roster from one to 40 characters represents a significant bet on AI-generated performers becoming an established part of entertainment production. For AI filmmakers, this development creates potential new tools but also raises questions about costs, integration, and appropriate use cases.

The technology's practical utility for independent filmmakers remains to be seen. While consistency and accessibility could benefit projects lacking traditional production resources, undefined pricing, licensing terms, and technical capabilities make evaluation difficult.

Filmmakers should monitor developments in AI actors while continuing to use established AI video generation tools. The field evolves rapidly, and what seems like a controversial experiment today might become standard practice, or it might prove a technological dead end that fails to gain traction beyond initial publicity.

Van der Velden's optimism about AI actors contrasts sharply with the entertainment industry's stated opposition. The disconnect between public backlash and reported private interest suggests complex dynamics that will take time to resolve. Filmmakers working in this space should prepare for continued uncertainty about both the technology and its acceptance.

For now, AI filmmakers have access to multiple video generation tools through platforms like AI FILMS Studio, offering text-to-video, image-to-video, and complete production workflows without dependencies on specific pre-made characters. These established tools provide flexibility while the industry determines how AI actors fit into future production landscapes.

Sources:

• Deadline: "Tilly Norwood Creator Eline Van Der Velden Talks Backlash, Reveals Another 40 AI Actors Are In The Pipeline" (November 7, 2025)
• Deadline: "Talent Agents Circle AI Actress Tilly Norwood As Studios Quietly Embrace AI Technology" (September 2025)
• San Francisco Chronicle: "Creator of AI actress Tilly Norwood plans 40 more digital stars" (November 2025)
• Cracked: "The Creator of Tilly Norwood Says 40 More AI Actors Are on the Way" (November 2025)