Nicolas Cage is making it clear – he is not an “AI-friendly actor”.
The 62-year-old actor spoke out against the tech giant during an appearance at New York Comic Con on Saturday. He alleged that he was asked to sign an artificial intelligence waiver for the television series “Spider Noir.”
“Amazon is a very AI-friendly company, having invested $50 billion in OpenAI,” Cage said on stage.
“I’m not an AI-friendly actor, so it’s like connecting those dots! I’m not a member of their club. I didn’t sign a waiver to allow them to use AI on ‘Spider-Noir.’ I’ll probably never work with that studio again, but that’s OK.”
Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The use of AI remains a major sticking point throughout Hollywood. Industry unions including SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild have recently secured protections against the technology in new contracts. But as AI continues to evolve and AI actors like Tilly Norwood make headlines, it’s still unclear how the industry will be affected.
“Spider-Noir,” which premiered in May, is a “Spider-Man” project that puts a 1930s crime-thriller spin on the web-slinging superhero. The show was produced by both Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios.
Cage’s role as “The Spider” was his first major role in a series. The Oscar-winning actor, whose Malibu home was recently hit by a sinkhole, is best known for his roles in films like “National Treasure,” “Moonstruck” and “The Rock.”
Upon release, “Spider-Noir” received much praise from fans and critics alike. According to Nielsen, in its first six weeks of streaming, the series garnered 2.6 billion minutes of viewing. It was also Amazon’s most nominated show at this year’s Emmys, with 11 nominations and five wins.
Last month, Amazon announced that the show was canceled after just one season, dealing a major blow to the industry.
During his Comic Con panel, Cage also said that he planned to continue working in TV. He announced that he would be joining the HBO series “True Detective”.
“My agent is out there somewhere listening,” Cage said. “It’s okay that I’m the first one to announce it, isn’t it?”