Takeshi Kaneshiro’s camp has recently dismissed reports that the actor has filmed an advertisement for a real-estate company and is calling for action against those who misused his likeness and image.
The whole issue was sparked after a netizen posted two images of a man resembling Takeshi and a small boy holding a lollipop, with the background resembling a street in Shilin, Taipei. However, the whole image looked like it was generated by AI.
“Has Takeshi Kaneshiro filmed an advertisement? I just saw this on Facebook and thought it’s been so long since I’ve seen Takeshi Kaneshiro! I was surprised and delighted, but then I realised it’s a real estate advertisement! Is that possible?” the Thread user asked.
In response, Takeshi’s agency released a statement, saying “This advertisement has absolutely nothing to do with Takeshi Kaneshiro.”
The company stated that whether the photo resembles Takeshi is a matter of opinion, but they believed that it is unacceptable and ethically questionable for businesses to use such borderline methods for marketing.
“Such things can happen to anyone, not just celebrities. Ordinary people’s photos can also be used for fraud. We urge relevant authorities to take seriously the potential risks brought about by the misuse of Al,” it added.
It is noted that the actor has not released any new film or TV work since filming “Sons of the Neon Night” back in 2017. The movie was released last year.