Chris Pratt, known for his extensive career in Hollywood including hits like Jurassic World and Guardians of the Galaxy, recently addressed the controversy surrounding an AI-generated actor named Tilly Norwood. In a conversation with Variety, Pratt dismissed concerns about AI actors threatening human performers, calling such worries “bullshit” while acknowledging that AI can be a useful tool in filmmaking. His comments come amid growing industry discussions on the influence of artificial intelligence in entertainment.
Pratt’s Views on AI in the Film Industry
During the interview, Pratt expressed skepticism about AI actors being a genuine replacement for humans. He said,
“I don’t feel like someone’s gonna replace me that’s AI. I heard this Tilly Norwood thing, I think that’s all bullshit. I’ve never seen her in a movie. I don’t know who this bitch is. It’s all fake until it’s something.”
Despite this blunt dismissal, Pratt acknowledged the potential of AI as a creative aid, stating,
“[The tech is] an amazing tool in the right hands.”
Pratt emphasized that while AI technology is poised to disrupt the industry, the essence of filmmaking remains tied to human creativity. He added,
“I don’t think you’re going to replace the human soul of a director or a writer or an actor or a singer or any of this stuff that requires human yearning and suffering and vision in art.”
Background on Tilly Norwood and Industry Reactions
Tilly Norwood is an artificial intelligence-based actor created by Dutch comedian Eline Van der Velden, who introduced the character at the Zurich Film Festival last year. Van der Velden plans for Tilly to begin signing on for roles, aiming to challenge traditional notions of performance art. However, the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) expressed sharp criticism, warning that AI-generated performances
“create the problem of using stolen performances to put actors out of work, jeopardizing performer livelihoods and devaluing human artistry.”
Defending her creation, Van der Velden described Tilly as a work of art rather than a human replacement. Adding to the debate, Leonardo DiCaprio shared his perspective on AI in filmmaking, highlighting both its enhancements and limitations. He remarked,
“It could be an enhancement tool for a young filmmaker to do something we’ve never seen before. I think anything that is going to be authentically thought of as art has to come from the human being. Otherwise, haven’t you heard these songs that are mashups that are just absolutely brilliant and you go, ‘Oh my God, this is Michael Jackson doing the Weeknd,’ or ‘This is funk from the A Tribe Called Quest song ‘Bonita Applebum,’ done in, you know, a sort of Al Green soul-song voice, and it’s brilliant.’ And you go, ‘Cool.’ But then it gets its 15 minutes of fame and it just dissipates into the ether of other internet junk. There’s no anchoring to it. There’s no humanity to it, as brilliant as it is.”
Chris Pratt’s Current and Upcoming Projects
Most recently seen in the Russo brothers’ action comedy The Electric State, Chris Pratt’s future lineup includes several anticipated titles. These are Mercy, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, The Garfield Movie 2, and Way of the Warrior Kid. His remarks on AI come as the film industry evaluates how emerging technologies will shape the art of acting and movie production.
Implications of AI on Acting and Film Craft
Chris Pratt’s outspoken stance reflects a wider tension in Hollywood about how AI will affect the artistic professions that require human emotion and experience. While AI can serve as a powerful tool for innovation, stalwarts like Pratt and DiCaprio emphasize that genuine creative expression is uniquely human. The debate continues as performances by AI entities like Tilly Norwood challenge the current definitions of acting, raising questions about authorship, labor, and artistry in the digital age.
Chris Pratt says the buzz around the possibility of an AI actress like Tilly Norwood is “bullshit”
“I’ve never seen her in a movie. I don’t know who this bitch is”
(Source: @Variety) pic.twitter.com/4H8py2iQFc
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) January 21, 2026
