AI Actor Tilly Norwood Studio Hires Amazon Exec to Build Expanding 'Tillyverse' Digital Universe

Tilly Norwood, the fully A.I. 'actor,' to be part of rapidly expanding 'Tillyverse'

Welcome to the "Tillyverse" -- the digital world of controversial AI "actor" Tilly Norwood that its creator says will allow AI characters to collaborate and build artificial acting careers. The CEO of Particle6, Eline van der Velden, announced the "rapid expansion" of Tilly Norwood and its universe on Monday in a press release. Van der Velden has also recruited Amazon Executive Mark Whelan from Prime Video as Head of Strategy and Operations for the AI talent studio Xicoia, which is part of Particle6. Whelan, Van der Velden said, will help the studio develop Norwood into "a future global superstar." "Mark will help us craft and shape every layer of her world, from her humour, daily life and career choices to how she interacts with fans across various platforms," Van der Velden said in the press release. The Tillyverse, "a dynamic, constantly evolving digital universe where Tilly and a new generation of AI characters will live" is set to launch later this year, the press release said. The AI actor has come under fire from Hollywood, including by actors union SAG-AFTRA, who blasted the studio for "using stolen performances to put actors out of work, jeopardizing performer livelihoods and devaluing human artistry." The union emphasized that Norwood is "not an actor," rather "it's a character generated by a computer program." Whelan's appointment is not the first time the AI studio has partnered with traditional media. The production company Particle6 collaborated with the History Channel in the Netherlands to produce an AI-created time travel series, featuring Dutch author and media personality Corjan Mol going back in time to explore the Netherlands "with the help of AI." The Press Release from Xicoia says that Whelan's hiring and the expansion of the Tillyverse "signals a period of rapid acceleration." "Xicoia isn't just experimenting with AI talent -- it's building IP at scale and redefining how talent is created, developed and experienced in the AI era," the press release said. Whelan was previously a comedy producer and led social expansion for Amazon Prime Video. "Tilly already has the momentum, an audience and the cultural spark," Whelan said in the press release regarding his new role. "Now we're writing her story and building her universe."

Tilly Norwood AI Studio Hires Former Amazon Exec in "Rapid Expansion" and Sets Launch of Multi-Character "Tillyverse"

BRIT Awards 2026: Olivia Dean Rules the Night With Artist and Album of the Year Wins Xicoia, the world's first AI talent studio and creator of AI performer Tilly Norwood, has hired former Amazon Prime Video Mark Whelan as head of strategy and operations. Whelan will work directly with CEO and creative lead founder Eline van der Velden of Particle6 -- who talked in depth with The Hollywood Reporter about her plans for Hollywood domination last year -- to "scale the studio's ambitious vision," said the studio, "beginning with the rapid expansion of AI actor Tilly Norwood and the launch of the Tillyverse, a dynamic, constantly evolving digital universe where Tilly and a new generation of AI characters will live, collaborate and build careers." The Tillyverse, they added, is set to launch later this year. Whelan joins from Amazon, where he led its social expansion across numerous territories and spent six years shaping EU-wide social strategy for major brands including The Grand Tour and Clarkson's Farm. Van der Velden said: "Mark is a brilliant storyteller with a rare skillset, and I couldn't be more excited to have him join Xicoia. He understands comedy, character-building, AI, audience behaviour and digital culture, which is exactly what Tilly -- and the wider business -- needs at this stage. "Together, we're building something entirely new. Tilly Norwood isn't just an AI character -- she's a personality, a brand, and a future global superstar with a compelling narrative arc," van der Velden added. "Mark will help us craft and shape every layer of her world, from her humour, daily life and career choices to how she interacts with fans across various platforms. It all promises to be bold, playful, a little chaotic -- and impossible to ignore." Mark Whelan added that the role is a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." "AI is evolving at breathtaking speed, and combining cutting-edge tech with ambitious creative thinking means we're not following an industry playbook at Xicoia, we are writing it," he said. "Tilly already has the momentum, an audience and the cultural spark. Now we're writing her story and building her universe. It's a huge responsibility, but an incredibly exciting one. I think the world is going to have a lot of fun watching what happens next." Alongside spearheading Tilly Norwood's growth, Whelan will lead the team in the development of new proprietary AI characters for use by Xicoia and Particle6, as well as oversee the creation of bespoke AI talent commissioned by third parties.