Michael Douglas wants control over his likeness after he dies

Last Updated on March 17, 2023

From the multiverse to metaverse, Michael Douglas is weighing the options of what will happen to his likeness after he passes on. In a recent “reader interview” with The Guardian, one follower asked, “Would you sell your digital image so you can continue to star in movies after you are dead?”

Michael Douglas responded, “You get to an age where you start thinking about your will and estate. Now I’m thinking I’m also going to have to license my name and likeness so the rights go to my family rather than to the metaverse. I see what AI is doing with pictures with text. It’s only matter of time before you’ll be able to recreate any dead person at any age with the voice and the mannerisms, so I want to have some control.” 

Artificial intelligence has indeed made its presence known as of late. While certainly nothing new, the advancements can’t be denied. One significant component is deepfake technology, which Michael Douglas isn’t the only one skeptical of. Keanu Reeves recently pondered its use and threat, saying, “When you give a performance in a film, you know you’re going to be edited, but you’re participating in that. If you go into deepfake land, it has none of your points of view. That’s scary…Early on…I had a performance changed…They added a tear to my face, and I was just like, ‘Huh?!’ It was like, I don’t even have to be here.”

One wonders if Reeves is onto something here. With the news that Michael Douglas is set to play Benjamin Franklin, does the actor even need to be on set at all? Did he even need to be cast? Really, couldn’t Apple just create another version of The First American out of artificial intelligence and deepfake technology? This might be a slight exaggeration, but on the performance front, it is getting to the point where actors may truly have to consider their legacy–not the movies they’re leaving behind, but how they might be used even generations later, with or without permission. Let us never forget Fred Astaire dancing with a vacuum cleaner…

How do you feel about actors licensing their likeness? How far will artificial intelligence and deepfake technology go? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.