The Dutch actress-turned-tech-founder who created the AI actor Tilly Norwood is pushing back against fears that artificial intelligence will destroy Hollywood acting careers, arguing instead that the technology can democratize filmmaking and expand the industry. Eline van der Velden, whose production company Particle6 built Tilly on top of a large language model, said the most dangerous response to AI right now is denial rather than engagement.
Tilly Norwood emerged as a public figure in 2025 and quickly became one of the most debated names in entertainment. Rumors that talent agencies were lining up to sign her sparked a broader argument about whether AI performers would replace human actors. Van der Velden acknowledged that she stoked some of that fire by suggesting Tilly could become the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman, but she described much of the reaction as showmanship layered on top of a genuine artistic provocation.
What separated Tilly from earlier digital influencers, according to her creator, was realism. Lil Miquela had already paved the way by signing with major agencies and landing branded deals, but Tilly looked far more human, and that is what unsettled people. Van der Velden said the backlash was notably different in the United Kingdom, where the release drew little controversy, compared with the United States, where she said people «lost their minds a little bit.»
The controversy has not been purely abstract. Van der Velden confirmed that she and her team have faced threats, though she declined to discuss details on advice from others. She said the threat level has decreased over the past year as people have grown more accustomed to AI. She also framed her own role carefully, describing herself not as the inventor of the underlying technology but as a creative artist using new tools.
«People have created a new type of paint and paintbrush, and I’m just an artist, a creative, that’s making things with those paintbrushes and that new paint,» she said. She added that the most dangerous thing anyone can do is «dig your head in the sand and not be aware.»
Van der Velden said Particle6 has grown tenfold over the past year, and she argued that AI production can cut costs and timelines by roughly half while reducing carbon footprint and water use by 99%. Those efficiencies, she said, could open the door for filmmakers around the world who cannot wait for permission from a major studio or a multimillion-dollar budget. Rather than shrinking employment, she predicted the shift will create a boom in the industry.
She also addressed the unpredictable nature of Tilly, who is built on a large language model with strong system prompts, guardrails and a knowledge base. Van der Velden said she genuinely does not know what Tilly will say during live appearances, calling the experience frightening. She distinguished Tilly from AI systems that go rogue while pursuing a human-set goal, noting that Tilly has no such impulse or objective.
At the same time, van der Velden insisted that great storytelling still depends on human craft. She described Tilly as a character and a creation rather than a replacement for actors, and said the project began very much as an art project. The business side came through Particle6’s brand and campaign department, which produces AI advertisements and has performed well over the past year.
The debate around Tilly Norwood reflects a wider reckoning in entertainment and technology over how AI-generated performers should be treated. For van der Velden, the conversation itself is part of the point. She said she wanted people to sit up and talk about what is happening, and she believes awareness is far safer than avoidance as AI tools become more capable and more common across creative industries.