Jeff Bridges wants digital replacement

The ‘Tron: Legacy’ star plays opposite a computer generated likeness of himself in his 30s in the film, and said new technology which transposes his facial expressions and look to the character means he could theoretically quit acting, and employ his  digital version instead.

He explained: “This technology means I’d never have to work again in my life and I could still make films. I can say, ‘I’ll lease you my image’.

“I think they’ll have this ability to go, ‘We’re going to give you lots of money; you just come in and do all your expressions, be real, sad, happy - and that’s it.”’

Jeff, 60, thinks the wider possibilities of the new technology are endless and people could, in future, see hybrids made up of their favourite actors.

He added: “In a few years they’ll be able to take aspects of three different actors and make a fourth character. It’s getting weird. They can say, ‘Let’s put Bridges in here, but I want a little Al Pacino in there – what the heck. Let’s see what kind of guy we come up with.’”

To test the digital version of Jeff, the team behind ‘Tron: Legacy’ asked the person who knows him best to give her opinion – his wife.

He said: “My wife was very critical of the digital image at first. She was honing in on the features of my face that she knows so well, but in the end she thought they did a pretty good job.’”