Val Kilmer Recreated His Speaking Voice Using Artificial Intelligence and Hours of Old Audio
[PhilNote: it sounds like the controversy around Val's voice in the documentary is off the mark.]
Val Kilmer marked the release of his acclaimed documentary “Val” (now streaming on Amazon Prime Video) in a milestone way: He recreated his old speaking voice by feeding hours of recorded audio of himself into an artificial intelligence algorithm. Kilmer lost the ability to speak after undergoing throat cancer treatment in 2014. Kilmer’s team recently joined forces with software company Sonantic and “Val” distributor Amazon to “create an emotional and lifelike model of his old speaking voice” (via The Wrap).
“I’m grateful to the entire team at Sonantic who masterfully restored my voice in a way I’ve never imagined possible,” Val Kilmer said in a statement. “As human beings, the ability to communicate is the core of our existence and the side effects from throat cancer have made it difficult for others to understand me. The chance to narrate my story, in a voice that feels authentic and familiar, is an incredibly special gift.”
...The AI-recreation of Kilmer’s voice was done after “Val” was made and is not featured in the documentary. The voice of Kilmer’s son, “Palo Alto” actor Jack Kilmer, is featured in the documentary to narrate the words of his father.
See the full story here: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/val-kilmer-recreated-speaking-voice-210041795.html
