Academy Award-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis publicly called on Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to take down an unauthorized advertisement that used artificial intelligence to generate a video featuring her likeness—without her consent.
The 66-year-old actress posted a direct message to Zuckerberg on Instagram on Monday, criticizing the platform for hosting what she called a “totally AI fake commercial” using manipulated footage of her. Curtis said the content was created without her permission, endorsement, or awareness, and demanded it be removed from Facebook.
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“I’ve gone through every proper channel to have it taken down,” Curtis wrote in her Instagram caption. “This is some bulls— that I didn’t authorize, agree to, or endorse.”
The manipulated clip reportedly used footage from a legitimate interview Curtis had conducted with MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle regarding the Los Angeles wildfires. In the deepfake version, Curtis’s actual statements were overwritten with artificial voice synthesis and dialogue that she said distorted her original message and undermined her reputation.
“If I have a brand, besides being an actor and author and advocate, it is that I am known for telling the truth and saying it like it is—and for having integrity,” Curtis wrote. “This (MIS)use of my image with new, fake words put in my mouth diminishes my opportunities to actually speak my truth.”
In the same post, the Everything Everywhere All at Once star emphasized that despite her team’s best efforts—including legal and social media outreach—they had been unsuccessful in getting the video removed through traditional means. That led her to take the issue directly to Zuckerberg in a public forum.
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“I’ve been told that if I ask you directly, maybe you will encourage your team to police it and remove it,” Curtis added. “I long ago deleted Twitter, so this is the only way I can think of reaching you.”
Later that same day, Curtis posted an update saying her public request had been successful.
“IT WORKED! YAY INTERNET! SHAME HAS ITS VALUE! THANKS TO ALL WHO CHIMED IN AND HELPED RECTIFY!” she wrote in the comments section of her original post.
Curtis first flagged the AI-generated video early Monday morning in a post aimed at warning her followers about the misinformation. She expressed deep concern over the broader implications of AI-generated content, especially as it relates to public figures.
“I haven’t posted about it because I didn’t want to bring attention to it,” she wrote. “But even my lawyers and social media teams can’t get it taken down.”
She continued, “HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? Just think about the threat of this—not just to my ‘career,’ but to politicians or public servants saying things they aren’t actually saying. It’s like the Wild Wild West. Very distressing and disappointing that with all the TECH and all the billions and trillions being made, there are no safeguards.”
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Curtis joins a growing list of celebrities voicing concerns over the unregulated use of artificial intelligence to create deepfakes or content that misuses their likenesses.
In recent months, actor Tom Hanks warned his followers on Instagram about unauthorized ads featuring AI-generated versions of himself promoting “miracle cures” and supplements. Hanks clarified that he had no association with the products or the companies behind the ads.
“There are multiple ads over the internet falsely using my name, likeness, and voice,” Hanks, 68, wrote in an October post. “These ads have been created without my consent, fraudulently and through AI. I have nothing to do with these posts.”
Similarly, actress Scarlett Johansson has called on U.S. lawmakers to enact strict regulations on artificial intelligence after a manipulated video of her—along with other Jewish celebrities—went viral online. The video, which appeared to oppose controversial comments made by Kanye West, was created without her approval.
In a statement to People, Johansson, 40, said, “I strongly oppose the misuse of A.I., no matter what its messaging. It’s imperative that we take steps to legislate protections before this technology spirals out of control.”
The rapid rise of generative AI tools capable of replicating human likeness, speech, and expression has led to a surge in deepfake content across social media platforms. Critics argue that tech companies are not doing enough to combat these violations, and that more robust content moderation policies—and legal accountability—are urgently needed.
Though Curtis was ultimately successful in getting the AI-generated video removed, she warned that this type of digital manipulation is not an isolated incident.
“The fact that it takes public shaming to remove something so clearly fraudulent and harmful speaks volumes,” she said. “This should not be how the system works.”
As calls for legislative and corporate oversight intensify, Curtis’s experience serves as a high-profile reminder of the ethical challenges posed by artificial intelligence—and the urgent need for solutions.
