Voices of Burt Reynolds, Judy Garland Recreated With AI
Hollywood’s golden age is making a comeback with the help of artificial intelligence. Audio AI developer ElevenLabs has partnered with celebrity estate manager CMG Worldwide to recreate the voices of four iconic actors: James Dean, Judy Garland, Laurence Olivier, and Burt Reynolds. These authorized voice recreations will be available on ElevenLabs’ new Reader App, allowing users to have text read aloud to them by their favorite Hollywood stars.
ElevenLabs described the four actors as “some of the most celebrated actors in history” and expressed their respect for their legacy. Adding their voices to the platform is a significant step forward in ElevenLabs’ mission to make content accessible in any language and voice.
Liza Minnelli, daughter of Judy Garland, expressed her excitement about the project, stating that it’s a fantastic way to introduce new fans to her mother’s work. With ElevenLabs’ technology, the Garland estate hopes to attract new admirers while continuing to honor Judy Garland’s unparalleled legacy.
The free Reader App, available for iOS with plans for Android, supports over 29 languages and can read articles, emails, and PDFs provided by the user. While subscription costs are not specified, the app offers three months of free access with nearly unlimited generation and the highest quality voices.
It’s worth noting that these celebrity voices are exclusively available through the Reader App and not part of ElevenLabs’ broader Voice Library for content creation and sharing.
CMG Worldwide, based in Beverly Hills, manages the estates of Reynolds, Dean, Garland, and Olivier. The company has also partnered with Ukrainian AI developer Respeecher in the past to recreate the voice of Jimmy Stewart for a collaboration with meditation and sleep app Calm.
AI technology has been increasingly used to recreate voices, primarily with the permission of the respective estates. In addition to ElevenLabs’ project, companies like Soul Machines have created AI-generated digital versions of celebrities like Marilyn Monroe for interactive experiences.
While ElevenLabs has yet to comment, their partnership with CMG Worldwide demonstrates the growing potential of AI in preserving and reintroducing the voices of beloved actors from Hollywood’s golden age.