Jackson Rathbone repulsed by Val Kilmer’s AI resurrection in new movie
Actor Jackson Rathbone and other entertainment industry figures were disgruntled by Val Kilmer’s AI performance. Kilmer, a widely beloved actor of Top Gun fame, passed away from pneumonia in 2025. The issue of using his likeness for AI raises concerns about consent, with some critics fearing what the precedent sets for future productions.
Rathbone posted on X, tagging SAG-AFTRA about the concerning AI-generated performance of Kilmer. He reminded the guild about the restrictions on AI usage, as agreed upon after a series of strikes. The deceased actor’s daughter, Mercedes, consented to the use of her father’s image for reproduction.
Rathbone chastised Mercedes for her decision and accused her of profiting off her father’s memory. He wrote, “I’m sorry for your loss, but this move begs the question.. are you sorry for your loss? Or are you capitalizing on your father’s death for your own financial gain?
The Twilight star isn’t the only one bothered by the decision to replicate Kilmer through AI. Screenwriter William Gerald argued for an alternative to AI in cases where actors are sick or unable to fulfill their role.
Gerald said on X, “When David Bowie was too sick to play Agent Jeffries again in Twin Peaks: The Return, David Lynch reimagined his character as a giant teapot. Not saying this would work in every case, but there are always alternatives to AI.”
Others online expressed rage over Kilmer’s AI portrayal, thinking of the idea as unsettling.
As Deep as the Grave isn’t a multi-part film that previously featured Val Kilmer. It’s a new adventure movie, and other actors could have easily taken the role. Reviving the actor for a role that he doesn’t have history with is a rather crude attempt at evoking nostalgia.
SAG-AFTRA’s statement on Val Kilmer’s AI revival
SAG-AFTRA released a statement about the movie back in March. In it, they expressed their intention to follow contractual and legal agreements.
“The applicable SAG-AFTRA collective bargaining agreement, as well as state law, requires consent from the estate to use a digital replica of a deceased performer in a motion picture. We understand from reporting on the A.I. digital replica of Val Kilmer for the upcoming film “As Deep as the Grave,” that the family’s consent was obtained. We take these obligations seriously and will continue to enforce strict compliance with both contractual requirements and legal standards,” the guild shared.
As controversial as the movie is, the existing agreement with SAG-AFTRA has not been violated. After the 2023 entertainment industry strike, SAG-AFTRA reached a deal. This includes ‘Independently Created Digital Replicas.’ Under that, it would only require the consent of the deceased person’s family and estate to use their image for digital replication.
Moreover, there are currently no overarching federal laws in the United States against the replication of dead actors through AI. Even if SAG-AFTRA claims legal compliance, the framework has not caught up with the technology, and it shows.
There are concerns about what this means for the entertainment industry, notably, upcoming actors. Why hire new ones if old actors can be revived and used for nostalgia-bait? Ethics aside, depth is compromised when actors are dug from the grave to perform.
As Franz Kafka once famously said, “The meaning of life is that it stops. Only the moment counts.” The performance stops when life ceases. Finality gives every actor’s time on stage irreplaceable value.
(featured image: As Deep As the Grave)
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