Emily Blunt has issued a warning after she was shown a photo of a controversial new actress in the industry.
The Brit is currently on a press tour for upcoming movie The Smashing Machine, which also stars Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, documenting the life of MMA legend Mark Kerr.
It marks a milestone for the WWE star in particular, as he has repeatedly announced his intention to play different, more dramatic roles in the industry.
Blunt plays Dawn Staples, Kerr's then-wife, in the highly-anticipated film but during a recent interview, she was asked about something more contentious which was going around on social media.
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The question was all to do with the newest addition to Hollywood - an AI actress.
The 42-year-old was asked about 'Tilly Norwood' in an upcoming episode of Variety's Awards Circuit Podcast, with talent agents said to be circling the AI actress already.
Blunt said: “Does it disappoint me? I don’t know how to quite answer it, other than to say how terrifying this is.”
She was then shown an image of the actress, to which she replied: “No, are you serious? That’s an AI? Good Lord, we’re screwed. That is really, really scary, Come on, agencies, don’t do that. Please stop. Please stop taking away our human connection.”
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Norwood was created by Xicoia, an AI talent studio as part of Eline Van der Velden's production company Particle6.
She revealed the project at the Zurich Film Festival, claiming that she wasn't alone and that other studios were also developing similar programmes which would become clear in the next few months.
Blunt felt uneasy after seeing images of Norwood, as she was told by the publication that 'they want her to be the next Scarlett Johansson', to which she responded 'but we have Scarlett Johansson'.
The backlash from those in the industry and people online has been huge though, forcing the creator herself to take to Instagram to address the comments.
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Van der Velden wrote: “To those who have expressed anger over the creation of my AI character, Tilly Norwood, she is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work - a piece of art. Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that in itself shows the power of creativity.”
She went on: “I see AI not as a replacement for people, but as a new tool, a new paintbrush. Just as animation, puppetry, or CGI opened fresh possibilities without taking away from live acting, AI offers another way to imagine and build stories. I’m an actor myself, and nothing - certainly not an AI character - can take away the craft or joy of human performance.”
Videos of the AI actress in virtual roles have since been posted online too, as well as several snaps of Norwood making her way through London. Eerie stuff.
Topics: Emily Blunt, Artificial Intelligence, Celebrity, TV and Film
Joshua Nair