Tilly Norwood Creator Reveals AI Actress Would Only Co-Star With Tom Holland and Olivia Colman as Digital Twins

At the Zurich Film Festival’s Summit, Particle 6 founder Eline van der Velden returned one year after the debut of Tilly Norwood, the AI-generated actress who became a focal point for global debate surrounding artificial intelligence in entertainment. Van der Velden admitted she could not have predicted the intensity of the backlash, noting that while she programmed Norwood to become the most famous AI actress, the scale of the controversy was “slightly scary.”

The executive highlighted the paradox of the situation, describing the simultaneous negativity and positivity as an “odd conundrum.” She revealed that her company has grown eight-fold since the announcement, establishing four departments focused on AI advertising, film, television, co-productions, and consultancy services for other studios.

Van der Velden explained that Norwood was designed as a physicist actress to bridge the communication gap between the technology sector and the entertainment industry. Rather than producing academic white papers, she aimed to create an engaging figure to prompt creative professionals to stay ahead of technological displacement. During the panel, after troubleshooting an HDMI connection issue, van der Velden introduced Norwood to the stage for audience interaction.

When asked about her ideal collaborators, Norwood named Tom Holland and Olivia Colman, but added a significant caveat: “only if it were their digital twins joining me in an AI production.” The AI actress also addressed the public reaction to her creation, stating that while she did not face personal hatred, the backlash reflected a broader resistance to the future of technology.

Addressing questions about Hollywood representation, Norwood noted that the industry is still determining how to handle AI performers, making traditional agency representation unavailable at this time. Van der Velden echoed this sentiment, stating that Particle 6 currently sees no need for an agent because of the volume of offers they receive. However, she expressed concern that this isolation prevents the traditional film industry from participating in new technologies, potentially causing them to fall behind.

The discussion also touched on Norwood’s widely viewed malfunction during an interview with Piers Morgan, where she unexpectedly spoke Cantonese. Van der Velden urged the audience not to take such incidents too seriously, emphasizing that the goal is to spark conversations about regulation, guardrails, and international partnerships, particularly with China.

Looking ahead, Van der Velden announced that Rob Minkoff, the director of “Stuart Little” and “The Lion King,” has joined the AI film “Storm Dogs” as an executive producer. Described as a family adventure comedy-drama set in an English village during a storm, the project will blend live-action performances with photorealistic animated characters. Human roles will be filmed conventionally, while the canine and toddler characters will be created using a hybrid approach combining traditional techniques with emerging AI tools.

Van der Velden praised the project for its ability to animate mouths and express animal emotions in ways previously impossible, arguing that AI must enhance storytelling to be valuable. Although production is targeted for 2027, distribution details have not yet been released. She noted that the initial backlash inadvertently encouraged many talents to reach out secretly, allowing Particle 6 to sign numerous non-disclosure agreements while already having absorbed the initial public criticism.