Former cast and crew of the long-running Australian soap opera Neighbours have raised concerns after producer Fremantle announced plans to use AI to re-edit decades of old footage into short, vertical mini-episodes for mobile viewing — starting with scenes featuring Margot Robbie, who played Donna Freedman on the show from 2008 to 2011.
Fremantle has partnered with US-based RoseBerry Media on the project, which the companies say will use AI to "scan decades of episodes" to identify character arcs, storylines and standout moments that editors can quickly repurpose into the shorter format. Both companies say the goal is to bring Neighbours, which aired its final episode last year, to new audiences on mobile phones.
Old Footage, New Questions About Consent
A Fremantle spokesperson said the technology "does not generate new scenes or performances, alter actors' faces or likenesses, or use synthetic voices," and that a human editor will review and approve every stage of the editing process, using only "original, previously broadcast footage, dialogue and performances." But several actors and crew members say they were never consulted about having their image, voice or work repurposed for a new product, decades after signing contracts that predate streaming entirely.
Matt Werkmeister, who joined the show at 13 in 2005 to play Zeke Kinski opposite Robbie's character, said he has not been approached by either company. "If they're creating a new micro-drama out of something that already exists, I feel there needs to be consent for using our image and voice as well as the writers," he said. He acknowledged Robbie's drawing power — "it's nice to watch old clips from shows you used to watch" — but said that when he signed his contract two decades ago, "streaming didn't even exist as a platform," leaving him unsure what rights he actually holds.
A Second-Life Story, With Strings Attached
Sam Clark, who played Ringo Brown opposite Robbie's character from 2006 to 2010, said he only learned of the project when a friend sent him an article. "I don't have a negative view of the work that we did all those years ago getting a second life as long as it's not being manipulated into new storylines," he said, speaking from Los Angeles, where he now works as a producer and voice actor.
Robbie has not publicly responded to the plans; the BBC said it had contacted her agency for comment. The dispute sits at the center of a wider entertainment-industry debate over AI's use of legacy footage — one where studios argue that re-editing unaltered, previously broadcast material falls outside the consent frameworks built for generating new performances, while actors increasingly argue that any commercial reuse of their decades-old work deserves a conversation they haven't yet been offered.