Overview

• SAG-AFTRA declared Tilly Norwood a computer-generated character trained on performers’ work without permission or compensation, with president Sean Astin calling the source material improperly obtained.
• UK union Equity intensified pressure in broadcast interviews, labeling Tilly an AI tool and exploring GDPR demands to force transparency about the training data’s origins.
• Major agencies moved to distance themselves, with WME saying it represents humans and Gersh stating it will not be the shop to sign a synthetic client.
• Creator Eline Van der Velden defended Tilly as a creative work and said agents have shown interest, a claim made at Zurich with no representation yet announced.
• The dispute unfolds against wider legal fights over AI training and copyright, even as Tilly’s social accounts continue to post acting tests and attract tens of thousands of followers.