Disney Reportedly Scanned Background Actors Who Worked on WandaVision
Several movie extras have told how their faces and bodies were unwillingly scanned for creating digital copies.
Alexandria Rubalcaba, a background actor who worked on the Disney+ series WandaVision, has recently come forward with a bone-chilling account of how Disney used her likeness to create a digital copy without her consent.
In an interview with NPR, Rubalcaba disclosed that she and several other background actors were directed to a trailer after completing a month of work on WandaVision. Inside the trailer, they were instructed to stand in front of a series of cameras on metal rigs behind glass, where their faces and bodies were scanned for approximately 15 minutes each. These scans were then used to generate digital replicas of the actors.
Rubalcaba admits that she is unsure if or how Disney will use her digital avatar on screen. What's more troubling is that the background actors were never compensated for the use of their likenesses, nor did they ever consent to the scanning procedure. To make matters worse, there is currently no mechanism in place to prevent studios from employing these digital doubles in the future.
"What if I don't want to be on MarioVision or SarahVision?" Rubalcaba told NPR. "I fear that AI is eventually going to weed out background actors. They won't have any use for us anymore."
The situation surfaced amidst the ongoing Writers' and Actors' strikes, which lists the use of generative artificial intelligence by studios to replicate Actors' appearances and voices as one of the most concerning factors. If Rubalcaba's story is indeed true, it would suggest that Hollywood had plans to cut costs on real performers as early as 2020, two years before the widespread adoption of generative AIs.
Unsurprisingly, the studios have vehemently objected to this portrayal, asserting that a background actor's digital duplicate would solely be utilized for projects they were initially contracted for, with no intention of indefinite usage in future productions. However, a union negotiator previously alleged that studios were proposing to compensate background actors with a single day's pay, approximately $200, upon being scanned while allowing their digital likeness to be utilized indefinitely.
Unfortunately, this practice seems to persist beyond 2020. NPR's investigation also found that five background actors, who were interviewed separately and wished to remain anonymous, underwent body scans by studios in recent months. Many felt coerced into compliance, fearing potential retaliation if they resisted. Additionally, most of these actors were compelled to sign non-disclosure agreements, further limiting their ability to speak out about their experiences.
Earlier this week, we also reported that several major Hollywood studios, including but not limited to Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros., and Sony, are actively seeking candidates for positions related to artificial intelligence, demonstrating the industry's overall willingness to employ the new generative tech to cut costs on employing real humans.
However, the apprehension about this situation is not limited to writers and actors alone. A previous report also highlighted concerns among VFX Artists working in the filmmaking industry, who are worried about their future prospects in the industry, especially since they lack a union to protect their interests.
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