AI Was Nearly Used to Recreate the French Voice of Sylvester Stallone. Now, European Dubbers Are Doubling Down on the Need for Protection
variety.comNick Vivarelli International Correspondent A drama featuring Sylvester Stallone and France’s minister for gender equality, Aurore Bergé, is becoming a catalyst for a battle pitting Europe’s thriving dubbing industry against the existential threat of AI.
For 50 years, Bergé’s father, Alain Dorval, was known as the “Voix de Stallone.” From the 1970s onwards, French audiences identified Dorval’s baritone with Stallone in some 30 films, including the “Rocky” and “Rambo” franchises as well as the “Creed” and “The Expandables” movies.
Now, after his passing in February 2024, plans announced in January by U.K.-based startup ElevenLabs to recreate Dorval’s voice using AI technology for the French release of Stallone’s heist thriller “Armor” on Amazon France next month are sparking controversy.
Bergé has denied giving ElevenLabs permission to use or publish Dorval’s cloned voice, though she admitted to agreeing to a trial run. “It definitely created an uproar,” says Jimmy Shuman, an American expat who is the general delegate of the French guild for actors and performers (SFA).
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