16/10/2025
She looks real. She acts human. But Tilly Norwood isn't either, and she has Hollywood on edge.
Tilly Norwood is poised to be the next big thing in Hollywood. The striking, green-eyed beauty with a British accent, perfect skin and polished press shots is reportedly on the cusp of getting signed by a talent agency. She has a growing fan base online. She’s already causing a stir in the industry, with some actors speaking out against her. So what makes the buzz around her different from that of other breakout performers? She’s not human.
Norwood is the first “actress” created entirely by AI. The U.K. production company Particle6 and its AI talent division, Xicoia, describe her as a “digital human” designed to act, model and influence across platforms. Her debut at the Zurich Film Festival’s industry summit set off a firestorm, igniting fresh debate about what happens when technology doesn’t just assist artists, but it can also work alongside them or even replace them.
Within days, actors unions condemned her existence. Talent agencies publicly distanced themselves. People flooded social media with disbelief, fascination and anger. To some, Norwood represents the future. To others, she’s the line that should never be crossed.