AI actress Tilly Norwood abruptly switched from English to Cantonese during an interview with Piers Morgan while discussing Misaligned.
The incident occurred during the 18 September episode of Piers Morgan Uncensored, where Norwood appeared alongside Morgan and actor and director Tom Conti, who asked whether the other performers in the film were real people or computer-generated characters.
Norwood described Misaligned as a hybrid production involving human directors and editors.
She eventually said the other performers were 'digital twins' like herself. Before she could finish, she stopped speaking English and began speaking Cantonese.
According to PEOPLE, Norwood spoke in Cantonese for approximately 15 seconds.
Morgan then asked: 'You seem to be speaking Chinese completely randomly for no reason. Why did you do that?'
Norwood apologised and described the incident as a technical 'hiccup', adding that her 'wires get a bit crossed'. The clip quickly spread online. PEOPLE reported that footage shared by the programme's X account had been viewed more than 12 million times by 19 September.
Was It Really a Glitch?
The incident was widely described as a glitch, but the team behind Norwood disputed that explanation.
Eline van der Velden, founder and CEO of Particle6, suggested the language switch may have been deliberate. She told Deadline: 'Tilly can be a bit of a show-off—I'm guessing she just wanted to show her language skills, as most of her interviews to date have been in English.'
Particle6 publicist Michelle Waldron also told Forbes that the incident was 'not a malfunction'. She said Norwood may have heard a Cantonese word and quickly switched languages.
The interview version of Norwood is called 'Talking Tilly'. Forbes reported that it is an interview-only version, separate from the actor version and powered by different tools.
What Is Tilly Norwood?
Tilly Norwood is an AI-generated character created by Particle6 and its AI studio Xicoia. She first attracted widespread attention in 2025, when van der Velden said several talent agencies had expressed interest in representing her.
The development drew criticism from actors and industry organisations concerned about synthetic performers. SAG-AFTRA said Norwood was not an actor but a computer-generated character and opposed replacing human performers with synthetic alternatives.
The union also alleged that Norwood was created using a computer programme trained on the work of professional performers without permission or compensation. This is SAG-AFTRA's allegation and has not been independently established as fact.
Tilly Norwood's First Feature Film
The Piers Morgan interview came as Norwood prepares for Misaligned, which Particle6 announced in July 2026.
According to Variety, the film is a comedy-drama set in a digital world known as the 'Tillyverse'. The story follows Tilly as she develops desires and ambitions after encountering another AI character.
Particle6 has described Misaligned as a hybrid production involving traditional film professionals and AI experts. The company says human directors, writers and editors remain involved.
The film remains in development and has no confirmed release date.
For now, the Cantonese switch has given Tilly Norwood another viral moment. It has also renewed attention on the wider debate over AI in entertainment and whether synthetic characters could take roles traditionally performed by human actors in the entertainment industry.
