This Pirates of the Caribbean actors' reunion photo is a 99% AI-generate deepfake.

Once a pirate, always a pirate

A photo is sailing across the internet, warming the hearts of Pirates of the Caribbean fans. It shows actors Lee Arenberg (Pintel) and Mackenzie Crook (Ragetti) sitting together, holding a DVD box set, with a caption saying they remain close friends and still meet to watch the films. It's a nostalgic, feel-good story we all want to believe. But does wanting to believe it make it actually real? The critical question is: is this image AI or a genuine heartwarming behind-the-scenes friendship?

We sent this pixelated treasure map to our AI image detector for an authenticity check. The result was a staggering 99% AI-generated. This near-perfect score confirms it's a deepfake: just a synthetic image designed to look real. Here's the tricky part: the story of their friendship might be true (and we hope it is!), but this specific piece of ‘evidence’ is a complete digital fabrication.

Source: Instagram post with the image and Reddit discussion

FAQ

Is this photo of the Pirates of the Caribbean actors real?

No. Our AI image analysis confirms with 99% confidence that the photo is generated by artificial intelligence. It is a deepfake celebrity image.

Is the story about their friendship fake as well?

We can’t be 100% sure. Lee Arenberg and Mackenzie Crook might actually be very good friends, but this particular image of them sitting on a couch is AI-generated. The power of this deepfake is that it latches onto a possible truth. We're not debunking their friendship; we're debunking this specific piece of ‘proof.’

What's the best way to verify a celebrity photo?

First, reverse-image search it. Check the actors' or studio's official social media. If you can't find a credible source, be deeply skeptical. Then, use a tool like our AI image detector for a technical image authenticity check. We also use a heatmap that highlights the most suspicious AI-generated areas of the image.