Val Kilmer never got to film his final role. The actor, famous for "Top Gun," "Tombstone" and "Batman Forever," was cast in an independent western called "As Deep as the Grave." However, throat cancer prevented him from working on set. Kilmer died in 2025 with his scenes unshot.
The film used artificial intelligence to recreate his performance from old material and with permission from his family. This raised an important question: could an AI-created performance win an Oscar?
On May 1, 2026, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences answered no. The new rules state that only acting roles "performed by humans with their consent" can win awards. Screenplays must also be "human-authored."
Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor explained: "Humans have to be at the center of the creative process." However, this is not a complete ban on AI. The technology can still be used in visual effects and sound design. The Academy simply requires that humans remain the primary creators.
This decision came after the 2023 writers' and actors' strikes, when protections against AI became central demands. The new standards take full effect at the 99th Oscars ceremony on March 14, 2027. For the first time in its nearly one-hundred-year history, the Academy has made clear: the Oscar statuette goes to a person.