MOVIE NEWS – Zelda Williams, daughter of the late Robin Williams, has publicly demanded that fans stop creating and sending her AI-generated videos of her late father. The filmmaker says these clips are not only distasteful and disrespectful but also deeply insulting to his legacy. She stressed that neither she nor her father would ever want his memory to be exploited in this way.

Zelda Williams, daughter of the legendary actor and comedian who passed away in 2014 at the age of 63, took to Instagram Stories to plead with fans to stop sending her AI-created videos of her father. The Lisa Frankenstein director has repeatedly condemned the use of AI in entertainment, especially when done without consent. Despite her warnings, people continue to share such content, forcing her to restate her stance clearly.

“Please, just stop sending me AI videos of Dad,” she wrote on Instagram, according to Variety. “Stop believing I want to see them or that I’ll understand – I don’t, and I won’t. If you’re trying to troll me, I’ve seen worse, I’ll block and move on. But please, if you have any decency, stop doing this to him, to me, to everyone. It’s stupid, a waste of time and energy, and believe me – it’s NOT what he would want.”

“Watching the legacies of real people reduced to ‘this vaguely looks and sounds like them, so that’s enough,’ just so others can churn out awful TikTok puppet shows, is infuriating,” she continued, criticizing social media’s obsession with validation. “You’re not creating art – you’re turning human lives, the history of art and music, into disgusting, over-processed hotdogs and shoving them down people’s throats, hoping for a thumbs-up. It’s revolting.”

Zelda was a vocal supporter of SAG-AFTRA during the 2023 Hollywood strikes, pushing for regulations to prevent the unauthorized imitation of actors’ voices and likenesses. In her recent posts, she called AI-generated recreations “the Human Centipede of content” and rejected the notion that this technology represents “the future.” Her final message read:

“For the love of everything, stop calling it ‘the future.’ AI is simply regurgitating the past for re-consumption. You’re consuming the Human Centipede of content from the very end of the line, while those at the front laugh and gorge themselves.”

Hollywood has increasingly struggled with the rise of AI, prompting major industry figures to voice concerns about its ethical and legal implications, particularly regarding posthumous recreations without consent. While some see AI as a powerful tool – including one of Robin Williams’ former co-stars who suggested reviving his iconic voice – Zelda is firmly opposed.

SAG-AFTRA has won contractual protections requiring consent, clear contracts, and fair compensation for using digital replicas, but challenges remain. Recently, a company unveiled an AI-generated “performer” named Tilly Norwood, aiming to make her the next big star. The move sparked outrage from actors and unions alike, including Ralph Ineson, who responded with a profane two-word comment about agents seeking to represent the AI creation.

Sean Astin, newly elected president of SAG-AFTRA, condemned Norwood’s creation and vowed to fight it. He noted that “technology is advancing at lightning speed,” but promised the union would “meet the challenge.” In a statement, the union stressed that Norwood is nothing more than a “computer-generated character” with “no life experience” and “no emotion.” The battle is far from over as the union faces mounting challenges in its push for stricter regulations and transparency.

Source: MovieWeb