With Paul Walker in Fast & Furious XI, eight actors who controversially 'starred' in films after their death

Paul Walker, who died 12 years ago, is set to “return” in the latest Fast and Furious film. The news was revealed over the weekend by Vin Diesel – the franchise’s star – during FuelFest, a car enthusiast event in California.

The announcement has sparked controversy, with many fans taking to social media to voice their disapproval of what has come to be known as digital necromancy. However, this is not the first time a deceased actor has been digitally recreated for a role – nor is it the first time Walker has appeared in the film series posthumously.

The phenomenon of reviving dead performers using technology dates back to the early 1990s, when vacuum brand Dirt Devil digitally altered footage of actor and dancer Fred Astaire. In the advertisement, Astaire appears to hold one of the products while performing a routine from his 1951 film Royal Wedding.

While some viewers appreciated the technical achievement, the overall reaction from critics and fans was largely negative. Many felt it was disrespectful and exploitative – especially given that Astaire had died in 1987 and had not consented to the use of his image.

His daughter, Ava Astaire-McKenzie, approved the advertisement, citing her father’s love of innovation and showmanship. Still, many argued the ad crossed an ethical line by repurposing a creative legacy for commercial gain.

In more recent years, advances in technology have made it possible for deceased performers to share the stage with the living. In 2012, rapper Tupac Shakur made a surprise appearance via hologram at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. His digital likeness performed Hail Mary and 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted alongside Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg.

Elsewhere, actress Audrey Hepburn appeared in a Galaxy chocolate advertisement in 2013, 20 years after she died.

In this list, we explore notable examples of actors who appeared in films after their deaths – without having been involved in the production.

Paul Walker in Furious 7

Walker’s death in a car accident in 2013 shocked Hollywood. At the time, the blockbuster film Furious 7 was halfway through production, and his character, Brian O’Conner, still had a number of scenes to appear in.

The studio chose to not write the character out or recast him. Instead, they used Paul Walker's brothers, Cody and Caleb, as stand-ins, and applied CGI to complete the performance. The film was adjusted to give his character a farewell, resulting in an emotional final scene where he parts ways with Diesel’s character on a quiet road.

Ian Holm in Alien: Romulus

In one of the biggest surprises of Alien: Romulus, Ash, the android antagonist played by Ian Holm in the first Alien released in 1979, returned. The move was one of the most hotly debated choices of the 2024 film, a legacy sequel directed by Fede Alvarez and produced by series originator Ridley Scott, particularly because Holm died in 2020.

Speaking to The National, Alvarez was clear that Holm’s likeness has been used with the utmost respect and care to all involved, and that the idea originated from Scott, the man who cast Holm in the original film.

Alvarez said: “We came up with the idea with Ridley when we realised that the only actor who had never made a second appearance as an android was Ian Holm, who we both believe is the best in the franchise.

“We thought it’s so unfair that he never came back when Michael Fassbender did it a couple of times and Lance Henriksen did it more than a couple of times. So we thought he deserved that.”

Peter Cushing in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Celebrated British actor Peter Cushing, best known for his role as Grand Moff Tarkin in the original Star Wars film, died in 1994. More than two decades later, he returned to the screen in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

The film’s timeline, set just before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope, required Tarkin’s presence due to his significance to the plot. Using motion capture and facial mapping technology, actor Guy Henry provided the physical and vocal performance, while Cushing’s likeness was digitally reconstructed. The result received mixed reactions, as some were excited to see the character return, while others felt uneasy by the uncanny valley effect it produced.

Carrie Fisher in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Carrie Fisher’s untimely death in 2016 left the Star Wars franchise in a difficult position. Her character, General Leia Organa, was an integral part of the sequel trilogy. The filmmakers chose not to recast the role or use fully digital replacements. Instead, they worked with unused footage from The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, adapting it through new dialogue, compositing and contextual scene-building.

This allowed Leia to maintain her presence in The Rise of Skywalker. Her scenes, though limited, carried emotional weight and served as a final farewell. One particularly moving moment is the character’s final interaction with her son, Ben Solo, which acts as the catalyst for his redemption.

Christopher Reeve in The Flash

Christopher Reeve, who remains the definitive Superman for many, died in 2004. In The Flash, DC’s multiverse storyline opened the door to a sequence that featured several versions of storied superheroes.

In a brief moment, a digital representation of Reeve’s Superman appears alongside a recreated Supergirl, portrayed by Helen Slater. Some viewers saw it as a touching tribute, while others questioned the use of his likeness without the benefit of his involvement. The moment highlighted ongoing debates around digital resurrection, particularly when it comes to actors as revered as Reeve.

George Reeves in The Flash

Another notable digital cameo in The Flash was that of George Reeves, who portrayed Superman in the 1950s television series Adventures of Superman. Reeves died in 1959 under dark circumstances, yet his Superman briefly appeared during the same montage.

His inclusion, like Reeve’s, was intended to showcase the legacy of DC’s screen history. The visual sequence depicted several parallel Earths, each home to a different version of the Man of Steel. Reeves’s portrayal was recognised by older fans and served as a nod to early comic book adaptations, while many others condemned the cameo.

Harold Ramis in Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Harold Ramis, co-writer and star of the original Ghostbusters films, died in 2014. In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, his character Egon Spengler is central to the story, despite Ramis’s absence.

The film portrays Egon as having died shortly before the events of the film begin, but he remains present throughout it as a guiding force. In the film’s climax, a ghostly version of Egon appears to help his granddaughter and the original Ghostbusters defeat the film’s villain. The likeness was achieved using a body double and CGI.

Laurence Olivier in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

Laurence Olivier was one of Britain’s greatest actors. Despite his death in 1989, he appeared in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow in 2004, posthumously portraying the film’s villain. The filmmakers used archival footage and photographs of Olivier, digitally manipulated to create the character.

His appearance was entirely virtual, making him one of the earliest examples of a fully resurrected actor via computer graphics. The effect contributed to the film’s unique visual style, which blended noir, steampunk and early cinematic influences.