AI-generated “actor” Tilly Norwood appeared to malfunction during a recent interview with Piers Morgan, unexpectedly switching from English to Cantonese while discussing her upcoming feature film Misaligned. The unusual moment left Morgan and fellow guest Tom Conti laughing during the appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored.
Norwood, a generative AI creation developed by Xicoia, the artificial intelligence division of Particle6, appeared on the program Friday as part of a press tour for her feature film debut in Misaligned. The interview focused on the film’s production and the role of artificial intelligence in its creation before the conversation took an unexpected turn.Conti, known for his role in Oppenheimer, asked Norwood whether the other performers featured in Misaligned were real actors or digitally generated characters.
“The other actors in the film Misaligned, are they real or are they like you? Are they really human beings and you’ve been put into the scenes? Or are they all computer-generated images?” Conti asked.Norwood initially gave a broader answer about the film’s production process rather than directly addressing whether its on-screen performers were human.
“It’s an interesting point, Tom. My film Misaligned is a hybrid production, meaning real directors, writers and editors are still very much involved. It’s not about replacing anyone, but about exploring new ways to tell stories,” she said.
Conti then clarified his question, asking Norwood directly whether the other actors appearing alongside her were real people or computer-generated images.
“Yes, you didn’t really understand the question. Are the other actors on screen with you real actors or are they computer-generated images? Do you know?” Conti asked.
After briefly pausing, Norwood appeared to understand the question.
“Ah, right. You’re asking about the other actors in Misaligned. They’re all digital twins, just like me. It’s a hybrid production, which means…” she began.
Norwood then paused again before suddenly switching from English to Cantonese.
The unexpected change prompted Conti to react with amusement.
“I didn’t quite get that. Did you get that, Piers?” he said as both he and Morgan laughed.
Morgan then directly addressed the unexpected language switch.
“You seem to be speaking Chinese completely randomly for no reason. Why did you do that?” he asked.
Norwood subsequently acknowledged the apparent glitch and returned to English.
“Oh, my apologies. It seems I had a little hiccup there. I certainly didn’t mean to start speaking Chinese or impersonate Piers there,” she said. “Sometimes my wires get a bit crossed.”
“That was a bit of a curveball even for me,” Norwood added. “It’s usually a pretty smooth ride, but sometimes these things happen.”
The incident quickly became a notable moment from Norwood’s ongoing media appearances as she promotes Misaligned. The AI creation has been making appearances during the film’s publicity campaign, putting the technology behind her virtual performance directly into the spotlight.
NewsNation later asked Norwood about the incident and what caused her to begin speaking in another language during the interview.
“Well, sometimes, you know, my brain files things sideways, and obscure connections just pop out,” Norwood said. “It was a bit of a, shall we say, a spontaneous linguistic flourish? It happens when you’re made of math and British wit, I suppose.”
Norwood’s appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored comes as she continues a press tour surrounding Misaligned, her feature film debut. Her interviews have also placed renewed attention on the unusual position of an AI-generated performer appearing as the public face of a film while discussions over artificial intelligence and the entertainment industry continue.
The concept behind Misaligned is presented as a hybrid approach to filmmaking, with Norwood describing the production as one involving human directors, writers and editors alongside digitally generated performers. According to Norwood, the other actors in the film are “digital twins,” placing the project within the increasingly debated intersection of traditional filmmaking and generative AI.
The interview also illustrated one of the challenges surrounding AI-generated personalities: even when designed to communicate naturally, unexpected outputs can occur. In Norwood’s case, the sudden switch to Cantonese became an unscripted moment during a live conversation and drew immediate reactions from both Morgan and Conti.
For Norwood, however, the glitch became another unusual part of her growing media presence. Rather than ending the interview, the incident was incorporated into the conversation, with the AI performer explaining the unexpected language change as a spontaneous error.
As Misaligned continues its promotional campaign, Norwood’s appearances are likely to remain a focus not only because of the film itself but also because of the broader questions surrounding AI-generated performers and their place in modern entertainment.
