Hasbro Seeks Voice Rights for AI Use From Child Actors on Peppa Pig, Drawing Family and Performer-Consent Concerns

Hasbro, the U.S. entertainment company that acquired the “Peppa Pig” brand in 2019, is asking child actors on the animated series to sign agreements tied to artificial intelligence voice use, according to an exclusive report by Deadline published June 25, 2026.

Deadline reports that the request has prompted an outcry among parents and advocates who argue that the studio’s approach to AI audio rights raises serious questions about informed consent when performers are minors. The concern, as described in the report, centers on whether children can meaningfully agree to broad terms that would allow their recorded voices to be used or replicated through artificial intelligence.

The agreement described by Deadline is framed as part of the production process for “Peppa Pig,” a long-running children’s television property known for its characters, including the child character Peppa, and its themes for a young audience. Because the series relies on voice work, the reported paperwork would directly affect how those voices may be stored, licensed, or repurposed for future audio outputs.

Deadline characterizes the backlash as part of a wider conversation over AI systems that can generate speech based on existing recordings. In that context, critics are reportedly focusing on speech and voice as forms of personal expression, and they are pressing for tighter safeguards when the people providing the underlying recordings are children.

A central practical issue, as reflected in the report, is how the AI-related voice permissions would operate in downstream use cases, including any re-creation of performances beyond the original episodes. If such permissions are broad, families and performers’ representatives argue the economic and personal stakes extend beyond the immediate recording session, potentially affecting how the public hears a child’s voice in new material.

Hasbro’s request, as described by Deadline, adds urgency to ongoing questions about industry standards for child participation, contractual consent, and transparency for parents and guardians. The next steps are likely to focus on whether the company clarifies the scope of the AI voice terms, and whether production partners and legal advisors ensure that minors’ rights and family consent mechanisms are clearly addressed in any final agreements.