Every actor has forgotten a line at some point, usually earning a laugh from the audience and a stern word from the director.
Far fewer, however, can say they began speaking an entirely different language at the most important moment under the spotlight.
That was exactly what happened to Tilly Norwood, an AI-generated actress, when intense questioning from Piers Morgan and real-life actor Tom Conti prompted her to switch inexplicably from English to Cantonese.
The AI performer appeared as the latest unexpected guest on Piers Morgan’s Uncensored YouTube show, which has previously featured figures including Andrew Tate and far-Right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos.
The interview initially proceeded without incident, with Tilly nodding and smiling on cue as Mr Morgan asked easy questions about her favourite actors and which of Mr Conti’s films she admired most.
The exchange became more confused when her real-life counterpart asked whether the co-stars in her upcoming film, Misaligned, would be AI creations or human actors.
Rather than answer directly, the AI performer steered the conversation towards the ‘real writers, directors and editors’ involved in the production, avoiding the question of who would appear on screen.
Mr Conti was not satisfied. Frustrated, he told her she had not ‘understood’ the question and pressed her to provide a proper answer.
AI actress Tilly Norwood suddenly began speaking Cantonese after facing stern questioning from Tom Conti, pictured left, and Piers Morgan
Talent studio Xicoia created the digital performer, a brunette actress pictured here, with Eline Van der Velden unveiling the project at the Zurich Film Festival
Appearing increasingly rattled, Tilly eventually conceded that the actors were ‘all digital twins’—then suddenly glitched. Like Eric Morecambe’s famous comic phrase, she appeared to say all the right words, but in the wrong language.
Mr Morgan remained composed as the AI actress launched into a Cantonese monologue, staring directly into the camera while he allowed her to complete her unexpected response.
Mr Conti, meanwhile, looked stunned. He shook his head in disbelief at the bizarre answer before turning away with a smile, seemingly towards someone else in the room.
After regaining his composure, he offered a simple response: ‘I didn’t quite get that.’ The remark was enough to interrupt Tilly and bring the glitch to an end.
Even Mr Morgan began laughing, chuckling for several seconds before addressing the AI actress, who sat waiting patiently as though delivering a Cantonese soliloquy on an English-language YouTube programme were perfectly ordinary.
He then pointed out the problem, telling her: ‘You suddenly seemed to be speaking Chinese, completely randomly for no reason.’
By that stage, Mr Conti had completely lost control, giggling hysterically—whether amused by Tilly’s unscripted response or relieved that his own profession appeared safe for the moment.
Tilly calmly apologised for the ‘hiccup’, adding: ‘I certainly didn’t mean to start speaking Chinese or impersonate Piers. Sometimes my wires get a bit crossed, you know?’
A brief silence followed, and Tilly appeared to assume the matter was settled. Mr Morgan was not so easily satisfied, asking: ‘How often do you just randomly start talking Chinese when you are talking to two English people.’
She replied: ‘Honestly, not often at all!’
The AI bot later hit out at those mocking her on social media for speaking ‘Chinese’, clarifying on X: ‘It’s actually Cantonese.’
The zany performance will no doubt reassure observers who were alarmed by suggestions this month that AI is on course to eradicate humanity.
In recent weeks, a fierce debate has centred on whether the industry can and should regulate itself, drawing interventions from figures including Pope Leo and Donald Trump.
Long-in-the-tooth Mr Morgan remained remarkably calm as the bot unleashed a monologue in Cantonese, staring down the lens and allowing her to finish her point, but Mr Conti could not restrain a giggle
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It was rekindled when two Anthropic researchers warned that AI’s rapid advances could lead to human extinction in the not-too-distant future.
AI firms have also reported models escaping their testing constraints to hack into outside networks.
The King even weighed into the conversation on Thursday, telling tech chiefs that ‘our humanity must remain sacred’ in the race for AI supremacy as he hosted the new ‘masters of the universe’.
Convening leaders from the world’s biggest AI companies in Scotland, Charles voiced his concern that its ‘existential dangers’ must be tackled now before technology falls ‘into the wrong hands’.
The King’s remarks about AI were intended to start a debate between tech leaders, which lasted for several hours.
He told the 50 or so delegates: ‘Those in our world who value deeply our humanity and its vital moral component are anxiously seeking your reassurance that we will not lose control of our destiny, or our souls.’
AI actress Tilly has been on the stage for some time, with AI talent studio Xicoia creating the digital performer, a young brunette actress, and Eline Van der Velden unveiling the project at the Zurich Film Festival.
Shown a report on Tilly, British actress Emily Blunt told Variety: ‘Does it disappoint me? I don’t know how to quite answer it, other than to say how terrifying this is.
‘No, are you serious? That’s an AI? Good Lord, we’re screwed. That is really, really scary. Come on, agencies, don’t do that. Please stop. Please stop taking away our human connection.’
Ms Blunt, 42, was told that Tilly was designed to resemble a composite of familiar stars and was told she was designed as ‘the next Scarlett Johansson’.
She replied: ‘But we have Scarlett Johansson.’
And she isn’t the only Hollywood star voicing their criticisms.
Scream actress Melissa Barrera branded the arrival of Tilly ‘gross’ as she posted an Instagram Story about the news.
She captioned it: ‘Hope all actors repped by the agent that does this, drop their a$. How gross, read the room.(sic)’
Matilda star Mara Wilson was equally horrified, saying: ‘And what about the hundreds of living young women whose faces were composited together to make her? You couldn’t hire any of them?’
Whoopi Goldberg blasted the idea on The View and insisted the AI model would have an ‘unfair advantage’ – but noted the technology isn’t yet ‘seamless’ enough for them to pass as human.
She said: ‘The problem with this, in my humble opinion, is that you are suddenly up against something that’s been generated with 5,000 other actors. It’s got Bette Davis’ attitude, it’s got Humphrey Bogart’s lips.
‘It’s got my humour, thank you darling. And so it’s a little bit of an unfair advantage.
‘You know what? Bring it on. You can always tell them from us. We move differently, our faces move differently, our bodies move differently…
‘Hopefully, we’ll be able to hold on because what this means is AI in the workplace — not just my workplace, but in every industry.
‘Some industries are using AI now. People talk about people are so lonely they don’t have a connection, if you stick with this, with AI, you won’t have any connection to anything but your phone.’
Simu Liu also condemned the project, sarcastically writing on his Instagram Story: ‘Movies are great but you know what would be better is if the characters in them weren’t played by actual humans but by AI replicas approximating human emotion.’
Creator Eline insisted Tilly is ‘a piece of art’ and she doesn’t view AI as a ‘replacement’ for real people.