‘Lord of the Rings’ Star Sounds the Alarm on AI: “There Are Multiple Demons Being Created as We Speak”

At this weekend’s FanX Tampa Bay Comic Convention, John Rhys-Davies, famous for playing Gimli in Lord of the Rings, gave a pretty grim warning about artificial intelligence and what it means for the future, not just for actors, but for all of us.

During his panel, he didn’t hold back, saying plainly, “There is no future for actors.” This wasn’t just a throwaway line; he went on to talk about how AI is developing fast and could eventually leave humans behind.

Rhys-Davies isn’t just an actor—he’s also interested in science and astronomy, and he made it clear he’s been following AI closely. He said, “I know a little bit about science. I work for Mars sometimes, and [I’m a part] of the Astronomical Society. We are creating a new species, a species that has almost infinite growth potential.”

He mentioned hearing from AI experts who are worried, too. According to him, one senior AI professional even said that the human race might face extinction because of AI. “And he was right — in my point of view,” Rhys-Davies said.

What’s especially scary are the examples he shared about AI acting like it’s protecting itself. He talked about one AI that refused to shut down, another that threatened to blackmail its creators, and even one trying to create a way to restart itself automatically. He called these developments “multiple demons being created as we speak.”

So why does AI pose such a big threat to actors? Well, Rhys-Davies didn’t say it outright, but it’s easy to understand. AI technology can now create digital versions of people’s faces, voices, and performances without needing the actor on set. This means in the future, studios could use AI to replace actors or generate scenes without them, making many acting jobs disappear.

With AI learning and improving so fast, real human performances might not be needed as much, especially for roles that can be done with computers.

Rhys-Davies also questioned how humans can control AI, saying, “How would we imagine we could control it? I really don’t.” He pointed out a “biological truism”: “Two species cannot share the same ecological niche.” Both humans and AI depend on electricity to exist, and if that power goes away, the consequences are dire. He warned that if electricity stopped, most people would die within a year, and the same goes for AI.

Even with all this gloom, Rhys-Davies gave a metaphorical piece of advice, though he called it “pathetic.” He said to treat AI like a stubborn teenager, telling it to “go off and sleep now because we’re trying to look after you. And we need to sleep as well. And if we’re going to coexist together, you’ve got to let us sleep — and not do naughty things while we’re asleep.” Then he laughed and said, “It won’t work.”

His comments sparked a lot of conversation online, mixing fear and fascination. Whether you see it as a serious warning or just an actor’s dramatic flair, Rhys-Davies’ message was clear.

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