The Mandalorian actor felt “uncomfortable” after AI scan of body & face

Disney is at the center of another AI controversy, as a background actor for The Mandalorian revealed she felt pressured to take part in a scan of her body and face, making her feel “uncomfortable”. 

Earlier this month, a WandaVision extra claimed to be one of a group of background actors who were rounded up on set and sent to a tractor trailer, where they were individually instructed to stand in front of cameras set up on metal rigs that scanned their bodies and faces, without permission.

These images could be used to create AI replicas, and the studio would be able to use their digital likeness in other shows or movies – without pay or consent. This is one of the reasons the US actors’ union SAG-AFTRA is striking right now, with calls for more regulation on the use of artificial intelligence and fairer pay in the streaming era. 

Ever since the strikes started, an increasing number of actors have come forward to share their experiences, the latest being from a performer on Disney’s breakout Star Wars series The Mandalorian. 

The Mandalorian actor felt “uncomfortable” by AI scan of body & face

Describing a similar scenario to the WandaVision actor, Nicole Kreuzer – who stood in as a desert dweller for The Mandalorian – explained that she was told to head to a trailer where “more than 100 cameras” scanned her body and face, as per Fast Company. 

Kreuzer said the instructions came without warning and she felt pressured to take part. At that moment in time, she was unable to communicate with the union, as the background actors’ phones were kept locked away to protect production details from leaking. 

“I wanted to refuse to do it,” she told the outlet. “I felt uncomfortable.”

The fear right now is that AI is set to weed out background actors, whose digital replicas can be reused again and again in any format the studio sees fit. 

Kreuzer, who said the bulk of her work is standing in for 5’ 9” blondes, explained that she was made to believe she’d get a “whole lot of work” off the back of starring in The Mandalorian. 

“That was what they were kind of dangling in front of us,” she said. “If I had said no to the scan and they sent me home that day, I would have never been called back. But they never called me back, anyway.”

As a background actor, Kreuzer was paid $170 for the day – and she has no idea what will be done with her AI double. As discussed, this is far from being an isolated incident, with numerous performers coming forward to share similar stories. 

Makeup artist Ellen Vieira, who is supporting the strike, went on to tell the publication that cutting background actors could cause a ripple effect, leading to “a complete overhaul of the entire industry.”

Now SAG-AFTRA is seeking regulation, fairer pay, and appropriate consent for the use of AI in the acting world. AMPTP defended its negotiations with the union prior to the strike, claiming that it presented a protective deal which included “historic pay increases” and a “ground-breaking AI proposal.”

You can read more about the actors’ strike here and the writers’ strike here.