• Source:JND
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Emily Blunt has expressed her shock and concern over the rise of AI-generated performers, after learning about a virtual actress named Tilly Norwood. Tilly Norwood is the debut creation of Xicoia, an AI talent studio launched by Eline Van der Velden from her production company Particle6. She was introduced at the Zurich Summit, where Van der Velden confirmed that other studios are working on similar projects and more announcements will follow soon.

Speaking on the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, Blunt admitted that the hyper-realistic AI creation left her “terrified” and urged Hollywood agencies not to adopt such technology. Blunt was shown a report about Tilly during the podcast and was stunned by how real the AI actress looked. She said, “Does it disappoint me? I don’t know how to quite answer it, other than to say how terrifying this is.” When an image of Tilly appeared, she exclaimed: “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.” When told that the creators behind Tilly wanted to position her as “the next Scarlett Johansson”, Blunt’s immediate response was “But we have Scarlett Johansson.”

 
 
 
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A post shared by Tilly Norwood (@tillynorwood)

Meanwhile, clips of Tilly have already been shared on Instagram. One post read; “In 20 seconds I fought monsters, fled explosions, sold you a car, and nearly won an Oscar. All in a day’s work… literally! Find yourself an actress who can do it all. so, which tilly are you today.” While some users are curious, others are not impressed. One commented, “Not real. Should be reported for being AI. You’ve never even taken an acting class LOL.” Another wrote, “Much like the process creating these generic slip clips with no audio, this ‘virtual performer’ lacks a soul. Show me an actual scene that impresses me with filmmaking and performance.”

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Emily Blunt’s Current Projects

Blunt is currently busy promoting her upcoming film The Smashing Machine, co-starring Dwayne Johnson, which is set for release on 3rd October 2025. Recently, her first-look images from The Devil Wears Prada 2 also went viral, showing her in a sleek black corset-style suit and sunglasses, drawing praise for her stylish look. The sequel to the 2006 hit will focus on the decline of print media. Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) will face a new rival: Emily Charlton (Blunt), who has risen to a senior role at a luxury conglomerate that controls key advertising revenue. Details about Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) remain under wraps. Directed by David Frankel and written by Aline Brosh McKenna, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is scheduled to release on 1st May 2026.