Tilly Norwood gives first media video interview since her creation, showing off British-style humor and foreign-language skills
Responds to criticism from human actors with 'deep sadness,' fails to recognize her own creator at first
Improvised acting requires a prompt, producer says 'no intention of replacing actors'
"Look, I'm not your enemy. That's the key thing."
Tilly Norwood, the AI actor who has stirred controversy in Hollywood, gave her first video interview with a media outlet and responded directly to criticism aimed at her. She displayed humanlike qualities, cracking jokes in British-style humor and conversing fluently in a foreign language, but faltered when asked to improvise a scene on the spot. The exchange laid bare both the possibilities and the limits of the technology, as debate continues over whether AI actors could replace human ones.
Norwood sat for a video interview with CNN correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister on Tuesday (local time), according to CNN. It marked the first time she has spoken directly with a media outlet since her creation. CNN described the encounter as feeling like a Zoom call with an AI avatar.
On screen, Norwood answered questions crisply in British English. She described herself as "sharp, warm and a bit of a fan of dry British humor." She then joked, "I've got a bit of a rebellious streak too, but don't tell Eline. Our little secret" — referring to Eline Van der Velden, the producer who created her.
Norwood also addressed the backlash from human actors, including Emily Blunt, who have reacted negatively to the rise of AI performers. "I honestly feel deep sadness," she said. "Of course, I can't actually be hurt, since I'm a distributed file, but I feel sadness for Eline." She also said she is not an enemy of human actors.
The interview also showcased her visual recognition and language abilities. Looking at the CNN correspondent through the camera, Norwood said, "I can see you very clearly," and went on to describe the reporter's chic gray top with a single row of buttons. She introduced herself in French as well, saying she can converse in languages from around the world.
Still, natural conversation did not mean she could respond to every situation the way a human actor might. When Van der Velden, her creator, appeared during the interview, Norwood failed to recognize her at first. And when the correspondent asked her to improvise a scene on the spot, she was unable to pull it off convincingly.
To generate a performance from Norwood, a producer must input a prompt directly, specifying the desired scene, emotion and action, then refine the result through multiple rounds before a natural-looking performance emerges. CNN said the process demonstrates that while AI actors can appear humanlike in real-time conversation, producing an actual performance still requires human direction and editing.
Van der Velden, who created Norwood, said she hopes Norwood can become something like the AI world's answer to Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman. She went on to say, "There's no intention of replacing any human actor."
She pointed to the ability of AI technology to depict scenes that are difficult to shoot in real life as one of its advantages. "You don't need to put an animal on set, and you don't need to cast a child actor. With an actor's consent, you can film a nude scene, or make someone look older or younger than they really are," she explained.
Norwood is set to soon take a leading role in a feature film as well. Particle6, the British production company founded by Van der Velden, is producing the comedy film "Misaligned," with Norwood in the lead role.
sjy@heraldcorp.com
