“It’s Destroying Pure Cinema From Within”: Angelina Jolie Warns Hollywood to Protect Its Humanity from AI

Oscar-winning actress, director, and humanitarian Angelina Jolie has joined a growing chorus of Hollywood voices warning against the unchecked rise of artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry. In a striking statement, Jolie cautioned that AI is “destroying pure cinema from within” — arguing that while technology can enhance creativity, it must never replace the human soul that defines true art.

“When we start letting machines decide how emotion should look, or how pain should sound, we’re not creating art anymore — we’re just creating noise,” Jolie said.

A Voice for Authentic Storytelling

Throughout her decades-long career, Jolie has been celebrated for her emotionally charged performances in Girl, Interrupted, Changeling, and Maleficent, as well as her acclaimed directorial work on Unbroken and First They Killed My Father. Now, she’s using her platform to call attention to what she sees as a growing crisis: the erosion of human authenticity in film.

“AI can copy my face, my movements, even my voice — but it can’t copy my humanity,” she said. “Acting is about empathy. It’s about connecting to another person’s suffering or joy. A machine can’t do that.”

Jolie expressed deep concern over studios experimenting with AI-generated actors, calling the technology “seductive but dangerous.” She revealed that she has personally refused to allow her likeness to be digitally replicated, stressing that artists must maintain control over their identities.

“When you give up your image to a system, you give up control of your story,” she cautioned. “That’s something no artist should ever do.”

“Cinema Is About Humanity — Not Algorithms”

Jolie’s warning reflects a broader debate across Hollywood about the ethics of AI in storytelling. While the technology has been used for visual effects and de-aging in recent films, some studios have begun testing fully AI-generated performances and scripts — a trend many fear could threaten both jobs and creative integrity.

“Cinema has always been about humanity — about telling stories that help us understand ourselves,” Jolie said. “If AI starts writing those stories for us, what are we really saying about who we are?”

Her words follow similar statements from other leading figures, including Denzel Washington, Brad Pitt, and Ryan Reynolds, who have all voiced concern over how AI could devalue human creativity. But Jolie’s perspective, grounded in both art and ethics, goes beyond the technical — focusing on the moral consequences of replacing people with programming.

“Perfection Is Lifeless. Humanity Is Not.”

As both an actress and a filmmaker, Jolie has long fought to preserve the emotional imperfection that gives cinema its depth. From depicting war and resilience to exploring personal pain and redemption, her work has consistently celebrated the raw and unpolished truth of being human.

“We risk losing the imperfections that make stories beautiful,” she said. “The cracks, the flaws, the trembling voices — those are what make a performance real. Perfection is lifeless. Humanity is not.”

A Call to Protect the Future of Art

In closing, Jolie urged her peers — and the industry at large — to take immediate action to protect their rights and artistic integrity.

“Every actor, every filmmaker, needs to protect themselves. Know your rights. Guard your image. Because the moment we stop valuing the human element, cinema stops being art — and becomes simulation.”

With her impassioned warning, Angelina Jolie reaffirms her role not only as one of Hollywood’s most respected artists but also as one of its fiercest advocates for authenticity.

Her message is clear: technology may evolve, but storytelling must remain human — because without heart, there is no cinema.