The incident occurred on 18/9 when Tilly Norwood appeared on British journalist Piers Morgan's YouTube channel, "Piers Morgan Uncensored". Tilly was being interviewed alongside Scottish artist Tom Conti to promote her debut film, "Misaligned".

The virtual actress experienced a glitch while responding to Tom Conti's query about whether her co-star was an AI-generated character or a real person. Initially, Tilly Norwood's response strayed from the main topic, prompting Conti to redirect her. Upon returning to the core issue, she abruptly spoke Cantonese for about 15 seconds while answering the question, leaving both Tom Conti and Piers Morgan perplexed yet amused, according to People.

When the journalist asked why Tilly used Chinese, she apologized and explained that she might be experiencing some technical difficulties. "I'm also surprised by this. Normally, everything runs smoothly, but occasionally these situations still happen," she stated.

Speaking with Deadline, Eline van der Velden, founder of Particle6 (the company behind Tilly Norwood), suggested that Tilly might have been "showing off her linguistic abilities a bit". She stated, "I guess she just wanted to showcase her language skills because most of her interviews have been in English so far. After all, she has autonomy."

The interview excerpt was posted on the program's X page, attracting nearly 15 million views and over 1,000 comments. Some Cantonese speakers noted that what Tilly Norwood said in the language merely repeated the ideas she had already expressed. Many accounts voiced their dissatisfaction with Tilly, deeming her "inauthentic". They also declared they would not support her film.

Virtual actress Tilly Norwood in an AI-generated film scene. Photo: Instagram Tilly Norwood

Tilly Norwood debuted in 9/2025, sending shockwaves through Hollywood when Eline van der Velden revealed that several management companies were interested in representing the AI actress. Van der Velden disclosed this information at a summit during the Zurich Film Festival in Switzerland that same year, according to People. In March, Tilly further drew attention with her debut music video, "Take The Lead", which features songs about the values of AI.

In July, Particle6 announced the production of "Misaligned", Tilly's debut feature film. According to Variety, the movie is a coming-of-age story blending comedy and psychological elements, set in the "Tillyverse" – a surreal world existing on a cloud computing platform.

The main character, Tilly, is an AI entity without a childhood or life experience, only able to access the memories and experiences of others. A turning point occurs when Tilly encounters an enigmatic chatbot from the "dark web" (a hidden part of the internet not easily accessible by regular browsers). This entity persuades her to break through her pre-programmed safety limits. From then on, Tilly develops human-like emotions and desires.

The work is still in production. The team has not yet announced the director, cast, or release date. The company stated that the film is being made concurrently with other AI-driven cinema, television, and commercial projects. Velden commented, "The film is humorous and a bit chaotic, but behind it lies a story about identity, performance art, and anxieties surrounding AI."

According to People, Tilly Norwood and Particle6 are currently at the center of a debate wave regarding AI's potential to cause job displacement in the entertainment industry. Following Eline van der Velden's speech at the Zurich conference, the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) issued regulations concerning the use of virtual actors.

"To be clear, Tilly Norwood is not an actress, but a character born from a computer program trained on the works of countless professional performers without their permission or compensation," the association's statement read. According to them, AI actors lack the life experience and emotions to convey, and "audiences are not interested in viewing computer-generated content disconnected from human experience." SAG-AFTRA also noted that producers who have signed agreements with the federation are prohibited from using "synthetic performers" without adhering to contractual obligations.

Phuong Thao (according to People, Deadline)