The filmmaker criticizes the circulation of synthetic media featuring the late actor.
Director Zelda Williams is demanding that creators stop producing and circulating AI-generated videos of her late father, Robin Williams. In a statement posted to X on September 21, 2026, the Lisa Frankenstein director addressed a supposedly private video currently in circulation. She characterized the footage as unconvincing, noting that the robotic voice quality fails to match the actor's actual performances. Williams previously asked social media users to stop sending her augmented content featuring her father nearly a year ago. Her latest statement challenges the ethics of using a deceased individual’s likeness to bolster specific arguments or manipulate public perception through media. She urged those responsible to stop using the actor for synthetic content, describing the practice as a form of public manipulation. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions regarding the digital resurrection of performers without family consent.
Working creatives must navigate the ethical boundaries and potential backlash of using synthetic voices or likenesses of deceased performers. This serves as a reminder that family members and estates may publicly oppose AI projects that lack authenticity or permission.
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