Ventriloquizing the red carpet past? Film critic calls AI resurrection of dead actors “virtual hell”

San Francisco Chronicle film critic Mick LaSalle explores the ethical implications of using AI to create new performances from deceased actors like Marilyn Monroe and James Dean. In a reader Q&A column, LaSalle argues that while the technology could produce compelling content, forcing digital recreations of dead performers to act in ways they never would represents a form of virtual hell.

What they’re saying: LaSalle acknowledges the creative temptations but draws a moral line at posthumous digital exploitation.

• “I’d like to see Marilyn Monroe in a good movie where, for once, she doesn’t play an idiot. I’d like to see how beautiful, mature and interesting she might have been in her 40s, and I’d like to see James Dean in his 30s.”
• “To take an actor’s spirit, put it into a fake, computer-generated body and then force it to do things they never did and wouldn’t do — that strikes me as the virtual definition of dying and going to hell.”

The big picture: LaSalle predicts actors will eventually have “two bodies of work — the work they did, and the work that was done to them, without their consent,” highlighting concerns about digital consent and posthumous exploitation.

Market reality: The critic believes commercial forces will naturally limit widespread adoption of AI-generated deceased actors, though he anticipates “one or two having the hellish misfortune of breaking through.”

Why this matters: As AI technology advances toward creating “fully realized, natural-looking characters” rather than “strangely Plasticine CGI stuff,” the entertainment industry faces fundamental questions about consent, artistic integrity, and the commodification of human likeness after death.

Beyond the tech: The column also touches on LaSalle’s advocacy for Kevin Spacey’s return to Hollywood following his acquittals, and his appreciation for Def Leppard’s melodic approach to heavy metal music.