Simu Liu, star of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, has strongly criticized the idea of using artificial intelligence to replace background actors, emphasizing that film is a fundamentally human art form. Liu’s remarks come amid ongoing discussions about the use of AI in filmmaking, particularly regarding its potential to cut costs by substituting human extras with AI-generated stand-ins.
The debate gained traction after Shark Tank investor turned actor Kevin O’Leary suggested that productions could save millions by employing AI background performers. Liu’s comments directly address this controversial stance, highlighting the value of human actors behind the scenes and the risks AI poses to the craft of acting.
Kevin O’Leary Proposes AI as a Cost-Saving Measure for Extras
Kevin O’Leary, who recently appeared in his first acting role in the film Marty Supreme from A24, explained that large scenes often require hundreds of extras, adding significant costs to production.
“Almost every scene had as many as 150 extras,”
O’Leary revealed to World of Travel.
“Those people had to stay awake for 18 hours, fully dressed, moving around in the background — not even always visible on camera — and it cost millions of dollars to do that.”
O’Leary pointed to AI actors like “Tilly Norwell,” a fully digital creation who can perform without the physical needs or limitations of human actors. He described her as
“an actor who’s burst onto the scene — she’s 100 percent AI. She doesn’t exist, but she’s a great actress. She can appear at any age, she doesn’t need to eat, and she works 24 hours a day. The union is going out of their minds. I’d argue, for the sake of art, you should allow it in certain cases — and extras are a great use case. You can’t tell the difference. Just put 100 Tilly Norwells in there and you’re good.”
Simu Liu Responds to AI Replacements with Criticism of Industry Attitudes
Simu Liu was quick to challenge O’Leary’s viewpoint, first responding sharply on social media and later expanding on his criticism during an interview with Deadline. Liu dismissed the claim that background actors, who often make minimum wage, are responsible for high production costs.
“First of all, I thought that take that I was responding to is a really dumb take, particularly really tone deaf and out of touch and also just kind of incorrect. The idea that these background actors who are making minimum wage are somehow the reason why movies are now costing too much, that’s simply not true,”
Liu said.
He emphasized how the idea of replacing human actors with AI contradicts his own development as a professional actor, noting the importance of opportunities for newcomers to gain experience.
“This idea of replacing actors with AI, it’s so antithetical to my development as an actor. I think if I was able to learn from that experience, then how many other people are doing the same? In depriving the world of background actors, you’re also depriving people the opportunity to kind of pick up these skills.”
Art’s Human Element Cannot Be Replaced by Artificial Intelligence, Liu Argues
Simu Liu underscored the intrinsic human quality of filmmaking, especially regarding the subtle yet crucial contributions of background actors.
“Film is such an artist’s medium,”
Liu explained.
“Of all the uses of AI that have come forth, replacing art is just, I feel like, the last thing that anybody wants to do with AI. I feel like art is art because it’s human. It comes down to even the way that extras move…it all plays into the frame, and it’s all meaningful to the story.”
He added that audiences can still detect when movements aren’t authentically human, and that this awareness protects the art form from easy AI substitution for now.
“I really do feel like human beings are smart. I feel like when we see somebody in the background not moving like a human, we know. I feel like we could still tell the difference, at least right now.”
AI Use in Film Remains Limited but Faces Growing Debate
Currently, most major film studios have only used AI technology in marketing or experimental ways, rather than fully replacing human actors on screen. While AI figures like Tilly Norwell have emerged as novel digital personalities, the concept of an entire cast of AI extras populating blockbuster, such as those from Marvel Studios, is not yet a reality.
Whether AI becomes widely accepted for background roles may hinge on the influence of actors, directors, and studio executives who speak out against it, like Simu Liu. His high-profile opposition highlights the conflict between technological advancement and preserving human artistry within the industry.
Simu Liu’s Upcoming Projects and Outlook
Aside from his stance on AI in film, Simu Liu will reprise his role as Shang-Chi in upcoming Avengers films, further cementing his place in Hollywood’s mainstream. While an official sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has not been confirmed since it was initially announced shortly after the first film’s release, Liu remains optimistic about its production.
“A lot of it is above my pay grade, but it’s definitely happening,”
Liu told The Press Trust of India.
“[I’m] just very excited to kind of work on it and it’s going to be amazing. I really can’t say anything beyond that.”
