Rejecting AI Film Likeness
Maggie Gyllenhaal Rejects AI Marilyn Monroe Likeness for New Short Film
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Key Points
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“Flesh Impact” is a 17-minute short that imagines Monroe at age 100, with Dakota Johnson portraying her in flashbacks to her 30s; Ellen Burstyn plays the older version of Monroe.
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The film was made with the blessing of Monroe’s estate holders as part of centennial celebrations for what would have been the actor’s 100th birthday.
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Gyllenhaal said AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton has been sounding the alarm about the technology and argued that AI should perhaps be programmed with a “maternal instinct.”
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Gyllenhaal described AI companies’ efforts to obtain actors’ likenesses for software reproduction as a fundamentally different creative model from her own approach, saying: “I thought it’s completely and absolutely different paradigm than how I think, how I work.”
Director Maggie Gyllenhaal tested artificial intelligence to transform Dakota Johnson into Marilyn Monroe for her Venice Film Festival short film, then scrapped the idea entirely. Vulture reports that Gyllenhaal found the AI version stripped away Johnson's performance, making the result feel less "moving, human, alive" than the actor's own work. The decision highlights growing tensions in Hollywood over licensing actors' likenesses for digital reproduction.
The Experiment: Testing AI Monroe Overlays
Gyllenhaal was asked by the film's commissioners to explore AI options trained on licensed Marilyn Monroe footage. Film-News explains the technology was designed to overlay Monroe's likeness onto Johnson's face in the 17-minute short. The film imagines Monroe at age 100, with Johnson playing flashbacks to her 30s and Ellen Burstyn portraying the older Monroe. Ultimately, the director rejected the AI result entirely.
Why Human Performance Won the Day
Gyllenhaal said Dakota Johnson's own acting was simply superior to what AI could produce. The director explained that Johnson's genuine performance delivered something the algorithm could not: authentic humanity and emotional depth. She told Vulture that using the AI version would have undermined the film's creative purpose. The choice reflects Gyllenhaal's belief that actors bring irreplaceable artistry to their roles.
Concerns About AI's Environmental Toll and Ethics
Beyond creative concerns, Gyllenhaal raised alarm about AI's hidden costs. She cited AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton's warnings about the technology and suggested it should be programmed with a "maternal instinct" for safety. Vulture notes Gyllenhaal also objected to companies aggressively licensing actors' likenesses for software reproduction. She views this model as fundamentally opposed to how she works as a director.
A Centennial Tribute Approved by Monroe's Estate
"Flesh Impact" was made with blessing from Marilyn Monroe's estate as part of her 100th birthday centennial celebration. HeadTopics reports the film examines dual portraits of Monroe across ages. The short represents a thoughtful, human-centered approach to legacy filmmaking—one that honors both the historical figure and the living actors who bring her to life on screen.
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