“It’s Destroying Pure Cinema from Within”: Mark Wahlberg Warns Actors to Protect Themselves from AI

Hollywood veteran Mark Wahlberg, known for his transformative performances in The Fighter, Boogie Nights, and the Transformers franchise, has become the latest major star to issue a stark warning about the rise of artificial intelligence in film. Speaking in a recent interview, Wahlberg delivered a passionate appeal to his peers, cautioning that AI is “destroying pure cinema from within” and threatening the authenticity that defines the art of acting.

“You Can’t Program Heart, Pain, or Humor”

“Acting is about truth — about something real,” Wahlberg said. “You can’t fake emotion with a machine. You can try to copy it, but you’ll never capture the soul behind it. That’s what worries me — AI is destroying pure cinema from within.”

For Wahlberg, the concern isn’t technological progress itself, but what he sees as a growing disregard for the human element at the center of storytelling. Having worked across genres — from gritty dramas to explosive blockbusters — he argued that no algorithm can replicate what actors bring to the screen through lived experience.

“When I worked on The Fighter, everything came from experience — the discipline, the emotion, the struggle,” he explained. “No computer could ever understand what that means.”

The Dangers of Digital Replication

Wahlberg also revealed that he has already encountered unauthorized AI-generated clips featuring his likeness and voice — an experience he found deeply unsettling.

“It’s crazy — I’ve seen fake versions of myself online, doing and saying things I never did,” he said. “That’s not innovation; that’s imitation. And it’s dangerous for every actor out there.”

He emphasized that while tools like CGI and motion capture have long enhanced cinematic storytelling, there’s a crucial distinction between using technology as a tool and allowing it to replace the artist entirely.

“The moment we start using AI to perform instead of people, we lose the heartbeat of cinema,” he said. “Technology should help tell stories, not erase the storyteller.”

A Call for Boundaries and Protection

Wahlberg’s comments echo the growing chorus of industry voices calling for ethical limits on AI in film — an issue that has become increasingly urgent following the Hollywood strikes that centered on digital likeness rights.

“We’ve all got to stand up for ourselves — actors, writers, directors,” Wahlberg urged. “Our image, our voice, our performances — they’re part of who we are. Once you give that away to AI, it’s gone forever.”

The actor, who has also established himself as a producer and entrepreneur, framed the issue not as resistance to technology but as a defense of integrity. “Use technology to tell your story, not to replace it,” he advised.

“The Magic of Cinema Is That It’s Human”

For Wahlberg, the fight to preserve authenticity in an increasingly digital industry is personal. Known for his intense work ethic and grounded approach to fame, he said the future of filmmaking depends on remembering what makes movies matter in the first place.

“The magic of cinema is that it’s human — imperfect, emotional, alive,” he said. “If we lose that, we lose everything.”

Wahlberg’s warning joins a rising tide of concern from filmmakers and actors across Hollywood, from Tom Hiddleston to Denzel Washington, all expressing unease about how AI might reshape the industry.

As Hollywood continues to grapple with the balance between innovation and ethics, Wahlberg’s message cuts to the core of what’s at stake: the irreplaceable spark of humanity that transforms performance into art.

In his words, “Fame, technology — those things fade. What lasts is truth. And you can’t teach that to a machine.”