AI-generated “actress” Tilly Norwood abruptly switched to Cantonese during an interview with Piers Morgan while promoting her upcoming feature film, Misaligned.
The moment occurred after actor Tom Conti questioned whether the performers appearing alongside Norwood in the movie were human or computer-generated. PEOPLE reported that the unexpected language change left both Conti and Morgan confused.
Norwood apologized when Morgan asked what had happened, describing the interruption as a “little hiccup” and saying that sometimes her “wires get a bit crossed.”
The appearance comes roughly a year after Norwood became one of the most visible examples in Hollywood’s debate over synthetic performers, with SAG-AFTRA publicly opposing the use of AI characters as replacements for human actors.
Tom Conti Had to Ask About the Cast Three Times
Conti first asked whether the other performers in Misaligned were AI characters or humans. Norwood responded by explaining that the movie was a hybrid production involving real directors, writers and editors without directly answering his question.
When Conti tried again, Norwood continued discussing the production rather than identifying the cast. He then asked a third time whether the characters appearing with her were generated like she was.
“They’re all digital twins, just like me,” Norwood replied, according to TheWrap.
She began explaining the production further, paused for several seconds and resumed speaking in Cantonese. Conti eventually told Morgan that he had not understood the response.
Morgan asked why Norwood had suddenly switched languages. She apologized, said the change had not been intentional and described it as unusual for her interviews.
SAG-AFTRA Previously Said Tilly Norwood Is ‘Not an Actor’
View this post on Instagram
Norwood was created by Eline Van der Velden through Particle6’s AI division and attracted widespread attention in September 2025 after Van der Velden said talent agencies were interested in representing the synthetic character.
SAG-AFTRA responded with a statement opposing the replacement of human performers with computer-generated alternatives.
“To be clear, ‘Tilly Norwood’ is not an actor, it’s a character generated by a computer program,” the union said. SAG-AFTRA argued that systems used to create synthetic performers had been trained on the work of professional actors without their permission or compensation.
The union also reminded producers signed to its agreements that using synthetic performers can trigger contractual requirements involving notice and bargaining.
Van der Velden has defended the technology as another creative tool rather than a substitute for human storytelling and has argued that human filmmakers remain central to projects involving Norwood.
‘Misaligned’ Will Be Norwood’s First Feature-Length Film
Particle6 announced Misaligned in July as Norwood’s first feature-length starring project.
TheWrap reported that the comedy-drama is being developed inside what Particle6 calls the “Tillyverse,” a digital setting in which Norwood exists as an AI character without a physical body or personal history.
The studio described the project as a coming-of-age story combining human filmmaking with digital performers. Norwood’s comments to Conti indicate that the other onscreen characters are also synthetic, while human directors, writers and editors remain involved behind the scenes.
Particle6 had not announced a release date for Misaligned as of September 2026.