Bruce Willis Becomes First Major Actor to Sell Their DeepFake Rights!
Mike Sanders / 2 years ago
Update – Bruce Willis’ agent has since issued a statement denying that the actor has actually sold his deepfake rights. – We’re looking into this further and will provide an update should more detailed information appear online.
Following his diagnosis of aphasia earlier this year, the chances are exceptionally likely that 2023 will see the last official in-the-flesh film releases from Bruce Willis. For those of you unaware, aphasia is a moderately rare disorder when the brain starts (in very basic terms) jumbling up words and their related associations. – Just to give you an example of how it can work; you see a chair, and you know it’s a chair. But when it comes to saying it out loud, you might instead come out with something completely irrelevant like ‘aeroplane’ – You can learn more about it here!).
The bottom line though is that this is a condition that clearly removes your ability to act. You know, if you can’t say what’s required or even read correctly!
With that being said though, it seems that Bruce Willis may have a future in films after all as following a report via Collider, he has become the first major actor to officially sell the rights to his voice and likeness for DeepFake videos.
Bruce Willis Sells DeepFake Rights!
Overall, while this might sound a bit crazy, it likely represents what will up being an incredibly shrewd move not just for Bruce Willis, but for many other major Hollywood actors over the coming years. – In terms of the short terms gains, however, given that his illness likely prevents him from taking any major acting roles anymore, with these rights now sold and in place, he can still digitally appear in films and presumably earn a commission from it for literally (or at least potentially) zero work on his part.
Put simply, it’s entirely possible that 2044 might see the release of ‘Die Hard Part 19’ with Bruce Willis virtually retaining the role of John McLaine. – And more so, with the rights sold, this now puts a firm rubber stamp on the prevention of his likeness (digital or otherwise) being used in any kind of unauthorised manner.
While certainly an interesting piece of news, however, the whole matter of DeepFake videos is clearly going to represent a pretty big problem over the coming years that, for the moment, we don’t seem to have a particularly good answer/solution towards.
What do you think though? – Let us know in the comments!