Steven Spielberg says filmmakers will be soon able to create fully digital characters that will be indistinguishable from human actors.

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The Oscar-winning director of "Schindler's List" made the prediction in an interview with Newsweek.

"What can't be done -- but will be possible within five to seven years -- is to create a fully digital human being that would interface with other human beings and would be undetectable," he said. "You will not be able to tell the actor from the digital actor."

Spielberg said the prospect terrifies him.

"It crosses a moral boundary to me," he said. "In the very near future, a young filmmaker will sit on his laptop and make an entire movie without having to speak to anyone. Yes, that's an art form, and there's nothing wrong with that, but there's a point where you ask, are we (filmmakers) going to become recluses who want to make movies without human contact?"

Spielberg said he was upset with press coverage of his "War of the Worlds" star Tom Cruise's recent appearance on "Oprah," when Cruise jumped on the furniture proclaiming his love for actress Katie Holmes.

"Tom lost his cool because he was deliriously happy," said Spielberg, "and now he was being punished for his public display of happiness."