Could Val Kilmer, resurrected in AI, win an Oscar?

For the moment, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is struggling to position itself clearly on the actors and actresses modeled by Artificial Intelligence.

Can an AI actor win an Oscar? The question is no longer science fiction. With the digital “resurrection” of Val Kilmer in his posthumous film As Deep as the GraveHollywood finds itself faced with an unprecedented puzzle: can a performance generated (largely) by AI claim the greatest rewards?

For now, the answer is… uncertain.

According to Variety, which surveyed the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, there are no hard and fast rules excluding AI. The institution has simply established a principle: the use of artificial intelligence tools “neither helps nor penalizes” a nomination. Voters must above all judge the human part in creation. A guideline… but not yet a real policy. Conversely, SAG-AFTRA is more categorical: a performance generated entirely by AI is simply ineligible. For their part, the Golden Globes or the Critics Choice Awards have not yet set rules.

But beyond the regulations, a deeper unease persists: what exactly is AI performance? And who deserves to be rewarded? Val Kilmer built his legend over four decades, from The Doors has Tombstone passing through Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. So, would a posthumous award for a role assembled after his death honor the actor… or the technology that imitates him? The question even extends to other categories: would such a performance fall under acting or visual effects, rather deserving a technical nomination against behemoths like Dune 3 ? Nothing has been done, and the professionals themselves are divided.

In music, the Recording Academy has already decided: only humans can be rewarded. AI can be used, but it should never be the core of creation.

And in cinema, we are already predicting an explosion of AI-generated content in the coming years. Technology advances faster than ethics.

Besides, this debate is not new. Andy Serkis’ motion capture performances in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) or the saga Planet of the Apes had already blurred the boundaries of the game. Same thing with Scarlett Johansson, nominated for her voice in Her. Each time, the same question: where does human interpretation begin – and where does it stop?

If the public adheres to Val Kilmer’s “reconstructed” performance, voters will have to decide without any real instructions. Are they looking at a tribute to a deceased actor… or a technological feat? Everything will depend on the definition of “performance”. If we consider that play is a human intention, then pure AI remains out of the game. But if Hollywood starts to value the end result – regardless of its origin – the lines could shift. One thing is certain: with cases like that of the late Val Kilmer, the Oscars will have to decide. And quickly.