Actress Alena Yakovleva, daughter of the famed actor who starred in the film Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession, expressed clear opposition to using neural networks to recreate her father. Her position was reported by Paragraph.
She stated that she is absolutely against such a depiction. The family has already faced controversy when Yuri Vasilyevich was portrayed with a neural network, and she warned that a legal challenge would follow if this were to happen again.
Yakovleva noted that the stance is shared not only by her but by the entire family, underscoring a collective concern about the way memories of public figures are presented in digital media.
Meanwhile, Maxim Nikulin, son of the legendary Vladimir Nikulin, recently commented on the idea of a fatherly resurrection through artificial intelligence in the upcoming film Manyunya: Adventures in Moscow. Nikulin reaffirmed his wish to honor his father’s legacy and said he would monitor the production process to ensure the portrayal aligns with the public memory and respects the person’s true contribution.
The film, produced by Ghevond Andreasyan, is set to unfold in the early 1980s and is expected to feature Nikulin as a central figure in the adventures of Manyuni and friends. It was noted that Nikulin would not participate in trailers or other promotional material, restricting his involvement to the core production work and on-screen performance as the project progresses.
Calls have also emerged for broader attention to the preservation of cultural memory linked to public figures. Proponents argue for responsible use of technology, especially in projects that touch on a person’s legacy and a nation’s cultural heritage. (Citation: Paragraph)