Overview

• SAG-AFTRA issued a formal Sept. 30 statement declaring Tilly Norwood “not an actor” and opposing the replacement of human performers by synthetics.
• The union warned signatory producers that deploying synthetic performers requires notice and bargaining under existing contracts.
• Creator Eline Van der Velden defended Tilly as a creative artwork and a new tool, likening AI characters to animation or CGI.
• Van der Velden said talent agents have shown interest and teased an agency announcement in the months ahead, though no representation has been confirmed.
• Industry figures including Emily Blunt, Whoopi Goldberg, Melissa Barrera and Mara Wilson criticized the project as Tilly’s Instagram rollout, an AI-made short, and plans to scale more AI ‘stars’ kept attention on the venture.