Hollywood Voices Go Digital — With Permission
Two of Hollywood’s most recognisable voices are going virtual. Matthew McConaughey and Sir Michael Caine signed contracts with ElevenLabs, a New York-based AI audio company, allowing it to create AI-generated versions of their voices.
The deals are rare instances when leading actors publicly endorse the use of artificial intelligence in entertainment — not as a threat, but as a creative extension. ElevenLabs says the partnerships solve one of AI’s “key ethical challenges”: how to use digital likenesses with consent and fair compensation.
What’s Happening & Why This Matters
Two Icons, One Tech Mission
Both Oscar-winning actors are lending more than just their voices — they’re lending credibility to AI audio’s next chapter.
McConaughey, who has invested in ElevenLabs and collaborated with it since 2022, says he’s impressed by the company’s innovation and its potential to help creators scale their storytelling. He plans to use the partnership to translate his newsletter, “Lyrics of Livin’,” into a Spanish-language audio version — narrated in his voice.
“I want to reach and connect with even more people,” McConaughey said. “This helps me do that.”
Meanwhile, Caine — who once declared his retirement before recently returning for The Last Witch Hunter 2 alongside Vin Diesel — says his partnership celebrates humanity, not technology.
“It’s not about replacing voices; it’s about amplifying them,” Caine said. “With ElevenLabs, we can preserve and share voices — not just mine, but anyone’s.”
ElevenLabs’ ‘Iconic Voices Marketplace’
The company’s newly launched Iconic Voices Marketplace lets brands and content creators license officially approved celebrity voices for AI-generated projects. Caine’s distinctive British tone joins McConaughey’s Southern drawl as part of the inaugural lineup.
The marketplace features both living and deceased legends, including John Wayne, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, and Alan Turing. It also includes cultural icons like Maya Angelou, Amelia Earhart, and Babe Ruth, raising questions about how estates approve and manage digital rights posthumously.
Valued at $6.6 billion, ElevenLabs says the initiative is a “voice preservation” effort, not a replacement tool. The company frames its technology as a way to extend storytelling while protecting artist identity and ensuring fair pay for usage.
Hollywood’s AI Embrace (and Anxiety)
The announcement arrives amid heated debates over AI’s role in entertainment, especially after the SAG-AFTRA strikes spotlighted the use of synthetic likenesses.
ElevenLabs’ model of consent-driven licensing sets it apart from platforms accused of using unauthorized training data. The company’s deal structure aligns with recent Meta AI collaborations, which feature names like Judi Dench, John Cena, and Kristen Bell, who have agreed to lend their voices for AI-driven assistants and media.
The budding list of AI-curious celebrities doesn’t stop there. Ashton Kutcher and Leonardo DiCaprio also invested in AI startups. They are betting that voice synthesis and digital replicas becomes integral to film, advertising, and education.
For actors like Caine and McConaughey, the message is simple: use technology to preserve performance, not replace it.
TF Summary: What’s Next
The partnerships between ElevenLabs, McConaughey, and Caine may be a watershed in Hollywood’s relationship with artificial intelligence. What was once feared as a creative threat now presents itself as a tool for legacy and access.
MY FORECAST: Expect more prominent actors to sign AI voice licensing deals. As ethical standards mature and financial incentives rise, Hollywood will shift toward a consent-based digital model — where voice and likeness are assets managed similarly to intellectual property. “AI imitation” and “authentic voice” are blurring, but for once, the stars are leading the charge instead of fighting it.
— Text-to-Speech (TTS) provided by gspeech