Bruce Willis becomes the first Hollywood actor to sell his image rights to a deepfake company
Until recently, many fans felt that Bruce Willis was deliberately sabotaging his acting legacy by starring in straight-to-video releases that were truly terrible. However, it was later revealed that Willis was suffering from aphasia which had been interfering with not only his acting abilities but also his day-to-day life.
Now, Willis has taken the next logical step by selling his image rights to an AI company called Deepcake. By doing so, he has become the first major Hollywood celebrity to have a “digital twin” which can be used by the company in future cinematic projects.
In a statement on Deepcake’s website, Willis said: “I liked the precision of my character. It’s a great opportunity for me to go back in time. The neural network was trained on content of Die Hard and Fifth Element, so my character is similar to the images of that time.”
While talking about the experience, he added: “With the advent of the modern technology, I could communicate, work and participate in filming, even being on another continent. It’s a brand new and interesting experience for me, and I am grateful to our team.”
There is a larger discussion to be had about the philosophical implications of such digital copies. In a world where cinema is increasingly subjected to the tyranny of algorithms, deepfake technology raises concerning questions about the medium’s future. However, for Willis, it seems like the only way to keep his acting career going.
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