AI Recreates Sylvester Stallone’s Voice After Tragic Death of French Dubbing Artist—His Daughter Speaks Out

A daughter is upset over an AI version of her father’s voice. Alain Dorval was famous in France for dubbing Sylvester Stallone’s movies. Unfortunately, he passed away last February. The AI company ElevenLabs decided to recreate his voice for the new film “Armor,” which caused a stir.

Aurore Bergé, Dorval’s daughter and a French government minister, took to social media to express her frustration. In her post, which has since been deleted, she called out ElevenLabs for using her father’s voice without permission. She stressed that she only agreed to some initial tests, not for the voice to be used publicly.

Bergé made it clear: “I never approved this publication,” she stated. She believes her father wouldn’t have wanted this either, emphasizing the issue of consent when it comes to using someone’s likeness or voice after their death.

ElevenLabs confirmed they intended to use Dorval’s voice in their upcoming project. They noted that Dorval’s deep voice had brought to life legendary characters like Rocky and Rambo for French audiences. The company plans to use AI technology to create a voice that honors his legacy.

According to ElevenLabs, they are collaborating with Dorval’s family to ensure the project meets their standards. They mentioned that if the recreated voice doesn’t match the quality needed, they would stick with traditional dubbing. The family will have full control over how the AI voice is used.

This project marks a significant moment for ElevenLabs, as it’s the first time their technology is being used in a major film. The intention is to show how AI can enhance storytelling while respecting the artistic contributions of the original creators.

“Armor,” the film in which this AI voice is featured, was released in the U.S. last November. It will be available on Amazon France starting in March. The movie stars Stallone as an armored truck driver dealing with a mysterious package.