Creator of AI actor Tilly Norwood says she received death threats over project
TL;DR
Eline van der Velden, creator of AI actor Tilly Norwood, says she received death threats following a global backlash against the project.
Key Points
- Van der Velden claims she built the digital twin to provoke discussion about AI's impact on the entertainment industry.
- Outrage erupted after reports that talent agents had shown interest in signing the AI creation.
- Prominent actors and unions including SAG-AFTRA immediately condemned the concept.
- Van der Velden says the severity of the backlash far exceeded her expectations.
Nauti's Take
Death threats are never acceptable, regardless of how provocative an art project may be. But it is also worth naming what actually happened here: van der Velden staged a highly sensitive topic with maximum ambiguity — and then expressed surprise at the reaction.
Announcing that agents want to represent an AI avatar in an industry already fighting for survival does not spark academic debate; it sparks panic. That does not invalidate the underlying question — AI will affect performer jobs, that is not speculation.
But there is a meaningful difference between honest discourse and a project that looks like a stunt.
Sources