Netflix recreated a dead actor's voice with AI — and got permission
netflix used elevenlabs to recreate gene wilder's voice for its willy wonka reality show, with family consent. it signals a shift toward ethical ai cloning in media.
netflix employed elevenlabs' ai technology to generate gene wilder's voice for the teaser of 'wonka's the golden ticket', a reality competition show premiering september 23rd. the production obtained explicit consent from wilder's estate, replicating a process previously used for michael caine and stan lee recreations. this collaboration highlights a growing trend where media companies leverage ai for nostalgic continuity while prioritizing legal authorization. as generative audio tools become more accessible, this case may influence industry standards for digital likeness rights and posthumous performances.