Gal Gadot stars in Doug Liman‘s upcoming movie Bitcoin and the film has garnered controversy for using AI for the production design elements.
Deadline reports that movie “follows a man’s quest to prove he created Bitcoin, a claim that puts his life in peril and sets off a high-stakes race between tech billionaires and world leaders with the financial system hanging in the balance.”
Instead of shooting on any locations, it was reported that the movie was filmed on a “markerless performative capture stage.” Liman used AI technology to create all the sets and lighting, which he says brought the budget down to $70 million instead of being between $200 million to $300 million.
Gal is defending her decision to be part of the movie, which has received backlash for using AI.
“This was the longest contract I have ever worked on,” Gal told Variety. “It was six months from my lawyers to go through every scenario we could think about as far as the AI component of it. I did not want AI to have anything to do with my performance. We had to protect that, to such an extent that SAG called my lawyers to ask for pointers to update the SAG contract to protect other actors. As far as the performances, it’s all me.”
She added, “I am afraid of AI, but I am going to be afraid and look away? No. I am afraid but I am playing with it and learning it and trying to educate myself. The train has left the station. You’re going to work with it or be out of the game completely. I am trying to make the best of it and protect what I can protect. The AI component in this movie is for sets and the lighting. We had a broad crew and a lot of people were working on this movie.”
Gal also discussed the difference between making this movie and other projects. Joining her in the movie are Casey Affleck, Isla Fisher, and Pete Davidson.
“It felt like a pure art form of creating a movie,” she said. “I haven’t seen a single shot. As an actress, I wait so much. There’s the legendary quote: ‘You are being paid to wait as an actor.’ Here we would film nonstop because we didn’t have to wait for lighting. We would film on and on and on for 10 hours. It was amazing… as actors you’re always hot. You don’t cool off. We’ll see. It’s crazy.”
Gal recently confirmed the fate of one of her biggest franchises.
