SAG-AFTRA Files Complaint Over Fortnite's Use of AI to Voice Darth Vader
- Sagar Mankar
- May 20
- 2 min read

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has filed an unfair labor practice charge against Epic Games after the company used artificial intelligence (AI) to recreate Darth Vader’s iconic voice in Fortnite.
The complaint was filed with the National Labor Relations Board following the debut of an AI-powered Darth Vader in the recently launched Fortnite Chapter 6, Season 3 update.
Players can now encounter, defeat, and recruit the legendary Star Wars villain on the battlefield — and for the first time, speak directly with him using AI voice interaction.
AI Vader Appears Across the Map
The AI version of Darth Vader spawns in three key areas of Fortnite’s current map:
Southeast of Foxy Floodgate
West of Masked Meadows, near a mountain tunnel entrance
Samurai’s Solitude region, at the center
Players who reach and defeat him first can recruit him as an ally and engage in voice-based conversations, powered by AI.
Permission from the James Earl Jones Family — But Not SAG-AFTRA
The voice of Darth Vader, made famous by the late actor James Earl Jones, is used in Fortnite with the permission of his family. In a public statement (via The Hollywood Reporter), they noted:
“James Earl felt that the voice of Darth Vader was inseparable from the story of Star Wars, and he always wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience it. We hope this collaboration with Fortnite allows both longtime fans and new generations to enjoy this iconic character.”
However, the labor dispute stems from Llama Productions, the production company tied to Fortnite, allegedly failing to notify or consult SAG-AFTRA before using AI-generated voice work. According to the union:
“Llama Productions chose to replace the work of human performers with AI technology without providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms.”
Protecting Performer Rights in the Age of AI
SAG-AFTRA, which represents around 160,000 entertainment professionals, clarified they aren’t against AI. However, they emphasized the importance of negotiating fair use when AI replicates the labor of voice actors, especially those who previously voiced Vader’s character in games.
“We welcome new technologies that allow audiences to enjoy legendary characters. But we must also protect our right to bargain terms when those technologies replace the work of our members.”
As of now, neither Epic Games nor Llama Productions has issued a public response.
Player Misuse and Parental Controls
The launch of AI Vader hasn’t been entirely smooth. Within minutes of going live, some users exploited the system to make Darth Vader say inappropriate and offensive phrases. Epic Games responded quickly by updating the feature to prevent such misuse.
Given Fortnite’s large player base of children, the controversy sparked concern among parents. Epic has since added a Parental Control setting that allows guardians to disable the feature via:
Settings > Parental Controls > "Allow written and voice communication with AI features" (set to OFF)
This incident highlights ongoing tensions between AI innovation and entertainment labor rights, as major studios explore digital recreations of iconic characters.
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