EMILY PRESCOTT: Spider-Man’s Tom Holland gets caught in the web as miscreant AI bots cast him in fake porn movie
EMILY PRESCOTT: Spider-Man’s Tom Holland Gets Tangled In The Internet As Miscreants AI Bots Cast Him In Fake Porn Film
As the star of the Spider-Man superhero franchise, Tom Holland is no stranger to computer-generated special effects.
But the British actor has fallen victim to a much more sinister use of technology, I can reveal. The 27-year-old’s likeness is being used in deepfake pornographic videos, created by artificial intelligence so advanced that it appears as if it were real.
With the huge following of teenage fans in the Netherlands, there are concerns that the explicit content could be accidentally viewed by young people searching for their idol online.
An industry source said: ‘This is all very worrying, especially as the content looks so real. These sick individuals have used the latest AI technology.
“There are links on social media directly to the videos. Many young fans may believe it’s him in the footage, which is alarming. Tom is truly one of the nicest and most wholesome actors around, so it’s disturbing that he’s the victim of this kind of thing.”
Tom Holland, pictured with Zendaya, at the Los Angeles premiere of Spider-Man No Way Home, his image stolen by miscreants who used it to create a deepfake porn film
Holland’s likeness has previously been used in more benign deepfakes. In one viral clip, Back To The Future places him in the place of original star Michael J Fox, while ITV comedy Deepfake Neighbor Wars portrayed him as married to Nicki Minaj and living in suburban Britain.
Holland’s likeness has previously been used in more benign deepfakes. In one viral clip, Back To The Future places him in the place of original star Michael J Fox, while ITV comedy Deepfake Neighbor Wars portrayed him as married to Nicki Minaj and living in suburban Britain. It promoted the American rapper to post: ‘HELP!!! What is this AI shape-shifting clone conspiracy theory?!?!! I hope the entire internet gets deleted!’
Born in Kingston, Surrey, Holland rose to fame as Billy Elliot in the musical. In 2015, he signed a six-film deal with Marvel Studios to play teenager Peter Parker and his superhero alter-ego.
It was on the set of Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2016 that he met girlfriend Zendaya, both left. Last week the actress, also 27, refuted rumors they were getting married after fans spotted what looked like an engagement ring in a social media post. “You guys, seriously,” she replied. “Do you think I would drop the news like that?”
In June, Holland announced he was taking a break from acting.