Nicolas Cage Warns Against AI Infiltrating Film Industry
Actor Nicolas Cage has delivered a passionate warning against the growing influence of artificial intelligence in filmmaking, urging fellow actors and creatives to protect the integrity of their craft.
Speaking at the 52nd annual Saturn Awards, where he won Best Actor for his performance in “Dream Scenario”, Cage voiced concerns about AI’s potential to replace human artistry.
AI Should Not Replace Human Creativity
During his acceptance speech, Cage emphasised that AI should never manipulate an actor’s performance, even by the smallest degree.
Cage said,
"It’s a dead end if an actor lets one AI robot manipulate his or her performance. An inch will eventually become a mile, and all integrity, purity, and truth of art will be replaced by financial interests only."
Cage strongly believes that art, including film performances, should be an expression of the human condition—something he believes AI cannot replicate.
He warned that allowing AI to take over creative processes would strip art of its emotional depth.
He stated,
"If we let robots do that, it will lack all heart and eventually lose edge and turn to mush. It will be life as robots tell us to know it."
Cage’s Fear of AI's Posthumous Use
This isn’t the first time the 61-year-old actor has raised concerns about AI.
Back in July 2024, during an interview with “The New Yorker”, the actor spoke of his "terror" over the possibility of AI manipulating his likeness even after his death.
Cage asked,
"What are you going to do with my body and my face when I’m dead? I don’t want you to do anything with it!"
His remarks were partly triggered by his own experiences with digital manipulation, including a scanned version of himself used for the “Spider-Noir” TV series.
The actor has expressed unease about the idea of his image being used in future projects without his consent.
A Divided Hollywood on AI’s Role
Hollywood remains deeply divided on the issue of AI in filmmaking.
While Cage advocates for caution, others, such as Tom Hanks, have expressed a more optimistic view.
On “The Adam Buxton Podcast” in May 2023, Hanks suggested that AI could extend an actor's career, allowing them to appear as their younger selves or even star in films posthumously.
Hanks noted, referring to the use of deepfake technology to "de-age" him and co-star Robin Wright for the film “Here,”
“I could be hit by a bus tomorrow and that’s it, but my performances can go on and on.”
However, actors like Sean Penn have openly criticised the idea of AI recreating their likenesses.
Penn described it as an "indecent proposal," pointing out the moral implications of allowing studios to use AI in such a way.
Penn remarked in September 2023,
"That they would do that and not be taken to task for it is insulting."
AI's Presence in Recent Film Productions
The debate around AI in the film industry has escalated, especially after reports that AI technology was used to alter actors’ performances.
In one case, the editing team for the film “The Brutalist” used AI to refine the pronunciation of actors Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones, making them sound like native Hungarian speakers.
While the film, which won three Golden Globes in 2025, has received critical acclaim, its use of AI has sparked significant controversy.
With the 97th Academy Awards approaching, the use of AI in films continues to be a hot topic, raising questions about the future of creativity in an increasingly digital world.
What do you think about AI in film?
To what extent should it be used, or should it be avoided altogether?
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