Ike Barinholtz to Star as Elon Musk in Luca Guadagnino's 'Artificial

Published Date : 23-07-2025 

Ike Barinholtz is in talks to portray Elon Musk in Luca Guadagnino's upcoming film 'Artificial,' a comedic drama centered around the world of artificial intelligence and the tumultuous period at OpenAI in 2023. 

Luca Guadagnino has found his Elon Musk. The Studio star Ike Barinholtz is in talks to play the billionaire and former Donald Trump ally in the director’s upcoming feature “Artificial” at Amazon MGM.

As previously announced, the film will star Andrew Garfield and recent Oscar nominee Yura Borisov (Anora) and is described as a “comedic drama set in the world of artificial intelligence.” Early chatter suggests that “Artificial” will center around the company OpenAI and the tumultuous period in 2023 when its CEO Sam Altman was fired and rehired in just a few days. Though nothing has been confirmed, Garfield is expected to portray Altman while Borisov is reportedly playing Iya Stuskever, an OpenAI co-founder who led the movement to get rid of Altman.

Simon Rich (An American Pickle) wrote the script and will produce alongside Heyday Films’ David Heyman and Jeffrey Clifford as well as Jennifer Fox.

Barinholtz just landed an Emmy nomination for playing Sal Saperstein in “The Studio,” a Hollywood satire starring and created by Seth Rogen. He’s best known on the small screen for “Eastbound & Down,” “The Mindy Project” and “The Afterparty” and on the big screen projects for projects such as “Blockers” and “Neighbors.”

“Artificial” will mark the latest collaboration between Guadagnino and Amazon MGM following 2024’s “Challengers,” 2022’s “Bones and All” and 2018’s “Suspiria.” The studio is also backing the director’s upcoming movie “After the Hunt.” The drama, starring Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield and Ayo Edebiri, will debut at this year’s Venice Film Festival. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: Who is directing the film 'Artificial'?

A: Luca Guadagnino is directing the film 'Artificial.'

Q: Who is Ike Barinholtz set to play in 'Artificial'?

A: Ike Barinholtz is set to play Elon Musk in 'Artificial.'

Q: What is the main focus of the film 'Artificial'?

A: The film 'Artificial' is a comedic drama set in the world of artificial intelligence, centering around the company OpenAI and the tumultuous period in 2023 when its CEO Sam Altman was fired and rehired in just a few days.

Q: Who are the other main stars of 'Artificial'?

A: The other main stars of 'Artificial' include Andrew Garfield and Yura Borisov.

Q: What is the significance of the 2023 period in OpenAI's history?

A: The 2023 period in OpenAI's history is significant because it involved a tumultuous event where the CEO Sam Altman was fired and rehired within a few days. 

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