diff --git a/Gems/AtomLyIntegration/EMotionFXAtom/Code/Tools/EMStudio/AnimViewportRenderer.cpp b/Gems/AtomLyIntegration/EMotionFXAtom/Code/Tools/EMStudio/AnimViewportRenderer.cpp
index 89050cc643..4db69cf8d9 100644
--- a/Gems/AtomLyIntegration/EMotionFXAtom/Code/Tools/EMStudio/AnimViewportRenderer.cpp
+++ b/Gems/AtomLyIntegration/EMotionFXAtom/Code/Tools/EMStudio/AnimViewportRenderer.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 #include <AzFramework/Entity/GameEntityContextBus.h>
 #include <AzFramework/Components/TransformComponent.h>
 
+#include <Integration/Assets/ActorAsset.h>
+#include <Integration/ActorComponentBus.h>
 #include <Atom/RPI.Public/Scene.h>
 #include <Atom/RPI.Public/RenderPipeline.h>
 #include <Atom/RPI.Reflect/Asset/AssetUtils.h>
@@ -145,6 +147,18 @@ namespace EMStudio
         m_modelEntity->CreateComponent(azrtti_typeid<AzFramework::TransformComponent>());
         m_modelEntity->Activate();
 
+        // Create an actor.
+        // TODO: Support multiple actors.
+        AzFramework::EntityContextRequestBus::EventResult(
+            m_actorEntity, entityContextId, &AzFramework::EntityContextRequestBus::Events::CreateEntity, "ViewportModel");
+        AZ_Assert(m_actorEntity != nullptr, "Failed to create model entity.");
+
+        static constexpr const char* const ActorComponentTypeId = "{BDC97E7F-A054-448B-A26F-EA2B5D78E377}";
+        m_actorEntity->CreateComponent(ActorComponentTypeId);
+        m_actorEntity->CreateComponent(AZ::Render::MaterialComponentTypeId);
+        m_actorEntity->CreateComponent(azrtti_typeid<AzFramework::TransformComponent>());
+        m_actorEntity->Activate();
+
         // Create grid
         AzFramework::EntityContextRequestBus::EventResult(
             m_gridEntity, entityContextId, &AzFramework::EntityContextRequestBus::Events::CreateEntity, "ViewportGrid");
@@ -177,6 +191,7 @@ namespace EMStudio
         DestoryEntity(m_postProcessEntity, entityContextId);
         DestoryEntity(m_cameraEntity, entityContextId);
         DestoryEntity(m_modelEntity, entityContextId);
+        DestoryEntity(m_actorEntity, entityContextId);
         DestoryEntity(m_gridEntity, entityContextId);
         m_entityContext->DestroyContext();
 
@@ -217,6 +232,13 @@ namespace EMStudio
         AZ::Render::MeshComponentRequestBus::Event(
             m_modelEntity->GetId(), &AZ::Render::MeshComponentRequestBus::Events::SetModelAsset, modelAsset);
 
+        // Reset the actor asset
+        AZ::TransformBus::Event(m_actorEntity->GetId(), &AZ::TransformBus::Events::SetLocalTM, modelTransform);
+        auto actorAsset = AZ::RPI::AssetUtils::GetAssetByProductPath<EMotionFX::Integration::ActorAsset>(
+            "objects/characters/jack/jack.actor", AZ::RPI::AssetUtils::TraceLevel::Assert);
+        EMotionFX::Integration::ActorComponentRequestBus::Event(
+            m_actorEntity->GetId(), &EMotionFX::Integration::ActorComponentRequestBus::Events::SetActorAsset, actorAsset);
+
         Camera::Configuration cameraConfig;
         Camera::CameraRequestBus::EventResult(
             cameraConfig, m_cameraEntity->GetId(), &Camera::CameraRequestBus::Events::GetCameraConfiguration);
diff --git a/Gems/AtomLyIntegration/EMotionFXAtom/Code/Tools/EMStudio/AnimViewportRenderer.h b/Gems/AtomLyIntegration/EMotionFXAtom/Code/Tools/EMStudio/AnimViewportRenderer.h
index 85538fd568..eb590f8d71 100644
--- a/Gems/AtomLyIntegration/EMotionFXAtom/Code/Tools/EMStudio/AnimViewportRenderer.h
+++ b/Gems/AtomLyIntegration/EMotionFXAtom/Code/Tools/EMStudio/AnimViewportRenderer.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ namespace EMStudio
         AZ::Entity* m_cameraEntity = nullptr;
         AZ::Component* m_cameraComponent = nullptr;
         AZ::Entity* m_modelEntity = nullptr;
+        AZ::Entity* m_actorEntity = nullptr;
         AZ::Data::AssetId m_modelAssetId;
         AZ::Entity* m_gridEntity = nullptr;
 
diff --git a/Gems/EMotionFX/Assets/Editor/Layouts/Character2.layout b/Gems/EMotionFX/Assets/Editor/Layouts/Character2.layout
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a97581727f
Binary files /dev/null and b/Gems/EMotionFX/Assets/Editor/Layouts/Character2.layout differ
diff --git a/Gems/EMotionFX/Code/Include/Integration/ActorComponentBus.h b/Gems/EMotionFX/Code/Include/Integration/ActorComponentBus.h
index 6000873db1..325191af81 100644
--- a/Gems/EMotionFX/Code/Include/Integration/ActorComponentBus.h
+++ b/Gems/EMotionFX/Code/Include/Integration/ActorComponentBus.h
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 #include <AzCore/RTTI/TypeInfo.h>
 #include <AzFramework/Physics/AnimationConfiguration.h>
 #include <AzFramework/Physics/Character.h>
-
+#include <Integration/Assets/ActorAsset.h>
 
 namespace EMotionFX
 {
@@ -96,6 +96,10 @@ namespace EMotionFX
             /// Returns skinning method used by the actor.
             virtual SkinningMethod GetSkinningMethod() const = 0;
 
+            // Use this to alter the actor asset.
+            virtual void SetActorAsset(AZ::Data::Asset<EMotionFX::Integration::ActorAsset> actorAsset) = 0;
+            // virtual AZ::Data::Asset<const EMotionFX::Integration::ActorAsset> GetAsset() const = 0;
+
             static const size_t s_invalidJointIndex = std::numeric_limits<size_t>::max();
         };