Having been credited as the first Hollywood star to let his image be used to craft a “digital twin”, the recently-retired Bruce Willis has refuted claims that he’s sold of his digital likeness to a deefake company for future film and TV projects.
It was reported that the actor had initially allowed US firm Deepcake, which makes “digital twins,” to use his face. Using this tech, Willis appeared in a phone advertisement without ever being on set. Given his recent illness, this could mean huge things for the actor’s future in the industry.
However, a new update from the BBC cites a spokesperson for Willis denying that he has any partnership or agreement with the company. And Deepcake confirmed this to the BBC, saying: “The wording about rights is wrong… Bruce couldn’t sell anyone any rights; they are his by default.”
Initially, Willis said in a statement on its website: “I liked the precision with which my character turned out. It’s a mini-movie in my usual action-comedy genre. For me, it is a great opportunity to go back in time. With the advent of modern technology, even when I was on another continent, I was able to communicate, work and participate in the filming. It’s a very new and interesting experience, and I thank our entire team.”
Earlier this year, Willis came out about suffering from aphasia, a condition affecting a person’s communication ability, and announced his retirement from acting. It took the movie world by storm, and his family opened up about what this meant for his career.
“To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family, we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities,” reads the statement from the Willis family. “As a result of this and with much consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him.”
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While Willis has stepped away from movies, he still has a number of straight-to-video titles awaiting release. Whether this deepfake tech will allow him for a more extensive return in the future, we shall have to wait and see.
