Lisa Kudrow isn’t happy about Tom Hanks’ latest movie.
The “Friends” actress, 61, recently slammed Hanks’ reunion film with Robin Wright, “Here,” claiming the movie — which shows the pair decades younger in certain scenes thanks to de-aging technology — was an “endorsement for AI.”
“Here” was released in November and flopped at the box office, bringing in just $13 million worldwide, according to Variety.
“They shot it, and they could actually shoot the scene and then look at the playback of them as younger, and it’s ready for them to see,” Kudrow criticized the movie on Dax Shepard’s podcast, “Armchair Expert.” “All I got from [the movie] was, this is an endorsement for AI. It’s not like, ‘Oh it’s going to ruin everything,’ but what will be left? Forget actors, what about up-and-coming actors? They’ll just be licensing and recycling,” she continued.
The actress — whose Netflix series “No Good Deed” was released last week — expressed her concern over the technology: “Set aside, what work will there be for human beings? Then what?” Kudrow asked. “There’ll be some kind of living stipend for people, you won’t have to work? How can it possibly be enough?”
Last year, Hanks discussed artificial intelligence, indicating the technology could allow him to continue acting long after his death. “Anybody can now re-create themselves at any age by way of AI or deep fake technology. I could be hit by a bus tomorrow and that's it, but performances can go on and on,” the Oscar winner remarked.
“Outside the comprehension of AI and deepfake, there’ll be nothing to tell you it’s not me alone. And it’s going to have some degree of lifelike quality. That’s certainly an artistic challenge but also a legal one,” he explained.
Hanks mentioned, “all of the guilds, all of the agencies, and all of the legal firms” were discussing “the legal ramifications of my face and my voice being our intellectual property.” He also alluded to the audience, stating, “Without a doubt, people will recognize [the AI], but the question is will they care?”
The Robert Zemeckis-directed film made headlines for being the first joint venture of Hanks and Wright since their successful 1994 movie “Forrest Gump.” The stars expressed excitement about teaming up again. “When Bob mentioned getting the band back together, I was like, yes, for sure,” Wright said about the reunion. “And he’s like, this has never been done before. I said, let’s go, let’s take the ride. We have such faith in him because his imagination is pretty incredible.”
“We were making jokes on set because many of these scenes last only like two minutes, and our responsibility was to make them lively and real,” Hanks shared. “I said, well, look, if it gets boring, Bob will just have a stegosaurus walk by the window.”
“Here” centers around themes of families, loss, and love. The film employs digital effects to portray Hanks and Wright at different ages, creating the illusion of time passing.
The film faced severe criticism, with The Post's movie critic Johnny Oleksinski deeming it “a nauseous bomb.”
Shifting focus, the article notes how the reception of Hanks’ body of work reflects broader trends within the film industry, including international factors at play. For example, the film adaptation of David Mitchell's novel, “Cloud Atlas,” adapted by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer, faced box-office flops across the U.S. but found unexpected financial success in China. This highlights the varying reception of Hanks' and others' work depending on cultural contexts.
Despite being labeled unfilmable due to its complexity, “Cloud Atlas” was characterized as one of the cinematic feats requiring bold new approaches. The film was supported by international investment, showing stars like Hanks attract varied responses, depending on the audience.
Hanks' cinematic evolution continues to spark debates on the direction modern filmmaking may take as technology advances, especially concerning jobs for human actors.
