Bruce Willis made headlines last week with news that he sold the rights to his face to Deepcake, a Russian artificial intelligence company specializing in deepfaking. But Willis’ representatives released this news.
Willis and Deepcake previously collaborated on a Russian phone commercial in 2021, featuring an AI-generated replica of the actor. The sale of Willis’ face to Deepcake was rumored to allow the company to forever use the actor’s digital twin to embed it in future films. But despite quotes on Deepcake’s website about the actor’s excitement over the upcoming collaboration with the company, no such deal exists, Willis’ representatives said. In a statement shared with Gizmodo, Willis’ representatives stated that the actor “has no partnerships or agreements with the Deepcake company.”
A Deepcake representative confirmed that Willis owns the rights and cannot be sold digitally, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The company says that while collaborating with Willis on a previous Russian phone campaign, it’s understood that future use of Willis’ deepfakes by Deepcake will be up to the player.
According to Deepcake’s site, Willis said, “I like the accuracy of my character. It’s a great opportunity for me to go back in time,” he said, adding: “With the advent of modern technology, I can communicate, work and film, or even be on another continent.”
Willis’ family announced on Instagram in March that he was retiring from acting after the actor was diagnosed with aphasia. Willis’ digital twin could theoretically allow the actor to continue his career after retirement.
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