Neighbours actors object to AI recut of Margot Robbie episodes
Episodes of the Australian soap featuring Margot Robbie are being turned into microdramas made for phones, and some former cast members object.
Episodes of the long-running Australian soap opera Neighbours that feature Margot Robbie are being recut with artificial intelligence into short vertical dramas made for mobile phones, The Guardian and The Times of India reported.
Some of the show's former actors are angry about the project. The Guardian, which carried the story in its Morning Mail news briefing, said Neighbours actors were "up in arms" over the adaptation. It reported that one former star of the show called it "unbelievably invasive, morally and legally wrong".
The Times of India's coverage names Matthew Werkmeister and Stefan Dennis among the critics and says Dennis called the project morally and legally wrong. It reported that former cast members had raised concerns about consent and about how their performances are used in the new format.
The first instalment centres on Robbie's character, Donna Freedman. According to The Times of India, it combines two of her storylines into short episodes.
The Times of India said the adaptation is aimed at younger viewers and takes a mobile-first approach to classic content. The Guardian described the result as a microdrama designed to be watched on phones.
The Guardian reported that the recut has started a debate about what it means for television archives to be mined for new content. It said the format may be breaking new ground.
The reporting available from the two outlets does not name the company making the adaptation or say where and when the episodes will be released. It also does not include any response from the producers to the former cast members' objections.
Sources: The Times of India, Margot Robbie's 'Neighbours' episodes to get AI treatment; The Guardian, Morning Mail: surge in bulk-billing by GPs; Deloitte under pressure over error-filled WA report; and anger over Neighbours’ AI recut.
