Why Hollywood Is Threatening to Boycott Georgia Over Restrictive Abortion Law

From ELLE

Major media and film companies, including Disney and Netflix, are threatening to pull projects out of the state of Georgia should a new law banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected take effect.

Georgia has jokingly been referred to as “Y’allywood” ever since the state began attracting Hollywood with tax credits back in 2008. Some of the entertainment industry's biggest hits, like the Marvel Cinematic Universe films and Hunger Games, have been shot at Pinewood Atlanta Studios, which has 18 sound stages and an extensive backlot spanning 400 acres. According to Market Watch, some 300 new entertainment-related businesses exist in Georgia, and the state estimates that in the last year alone 455 projects were filmed there. The outlet also spoke with the Motion Picture Association of America, who confirmed that the entertainment industry in Georgia accounts for 92,100 jobs and almost $4.6 billion in total wages.

The state’s highly restrictive abortion law was signed by Gov. Brian Kemp on May 7, but is expected to be challenged in the courts. The hope from anti-abortion activists is that the bill, if passed, will lead to a Supreme Court re-evaluation of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision to legalize abortion in 1973.

In the meantime, actors and directors have already begun boycotting production in the state. Just last week, director Reed Morano pulled filming for her new Amazon Studios show The Power out of Georgia, telling TIME, "There is no way we would ever bring our money to that state by shooting there.”

The boycotts could have a big impact, but the move is getting some pushback. "It's ultimately hurting more people than it is going to do any justice,” a 39-year-old best boy grip told BuzzFeed News. “It's not going to affect the politicians and the actors. They're still going to keep going to work in other places like they always have. But with us here, it's going to destroy us.”

“None of us voted for this, and we shouldn’t have to suffer because of what the politicians decided," he added. "This only hurts us and it certainly doesn’t solve anything. Two wrongs don’t make a right.”

Here's what the studios are saying about the bans.

Netflix

The company's chief content officer, Ted Sarandos, said they would “rethink” filming in the state, should the law take effect.

“We have many women working on productions in Georgia, whose rights, along with millions of others, will be severely restricted by this law,” Sarandos told Variety. “It’s why we will work with the ACLU and others to fight it in court. Given the legislation has not yet been implemented, we’ll continue to film there - while also supporting partners and artists who choose not to. Should it ever come into effect, we’d rethink our entire investment in Georgia.”

According to The Wrap, Netflix films a significant number of shows in Georgia, including the series, Ozark, Insatiable and the movie Holidate-all which are currently in production there.

Alyssa Milano, who’s currently filming Netflix’s Insatiable in Atlanta, has been vocal about wanting to pull filming out of Georgia. “I have to be there for another month but you can be sure I will fight tooth and nail to move Insatiable to a state that will protect our rights,” she told BuzzFeed News. “And if it doesn’t move to another state, I will not be able to return to the show if we are blessed with a third season.”

MGM

"Along with our producing partners, we continue to monitor what is happening in Georgia and will plan to assess any new projects should the law take effect,” the studio said in a statement.

NBC Universal

NBCUniversal said that Georgia bill will “strongly impact” its decision-making process when selecting shoot locations. “We fully expect that the heartbeat bills and similar laws in various states will face serious legal challenges and will not go into effect while the process proceeds in court. If any of these laws are upheld, it would strongly impact our decision-making on where we produce our content in the future,” NBCUniversal said in a statement.

WarnerMedia

WarnerMedia has said it will similarly “reconsider” filming in Georgia. “We operate and produce work in many states and within several countries at any given time and while that doesn’t mean we agree with every position taken by a state or country and their leaders, we do respect due process,” WarnerMedia said in a statement. “We will watch the situation closely and if the new law holds we will reconsider Georgia as the home to any new productions. As is always the case, we will work closely with our production partners and talent to determine how and where to shoot any given project.”

The company is currently filming The Conjuring 3, the latest in the ever-expanding Conjuring universe, and a forthcoming Suicide Squad in the state. A Jordan Peele and J.J. Abrams’ project called Lovecraft County is also being filmed in Georgia.

CBS and Showtime

CBS and Showtime released will continue producing in the state, but plan to reconsider should the law take effect.

“Creative voices across our industry have expressed strong concern about the recently signed bill in Georgia. The ability to attract the best talent is the first step in producing great entertainment content and is always an important consideration in where we film any series,” the company said in a statement. “We are monitoring the legislative and legal developments in Georgia with the full expectation that the process in the courts will play out for some time. For now, we will continue producing our series based there that have production orders for next season. If the law takes effect in Georgia or elsewhere, these may not be viable locations for our future production.”

Viacom

"We are closely monitoring the situation in Georgia and expect the legislation will be subject to significant legal challenges," a Viacom rep told The Hollywood Reporter. "Should the new law ever take effect, we will assess whether we will continue to produce projects in Georgia."

Viacom owns several television networks and film production and distribution branches. The first season of the company's BET show Bigger is currently filming in the Georgia, as well as VH1's Love and Hip Hop Atlanta season 8, according to The Wrap.

Disney

Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger has said the company would find it “very difficult” to keep its productions in the state, should the bill pass. “I rather doubt we will [stay],” Iger said. “I think many people who work for us will not want to work there, and we will have to heed their wishes in that regard."

This would be a huge blow to the state of Georgia, as the company's recent blockbusters, including Avengers: Endgame and Black Panther, both took advantage of the state’s tax incentives for shoots.

Sony

In a statement, a Sony spokesperson said the company will consider alternate future production locations.

“As the MPAA has noted, the outcome of the Georgia ‘Heartbeat Law,’ and similar proposed legislation in other states, will be determined through the legal process,” the Sony spokesperson told The Wrap. “We will continue to monitor that process in close consultation with our filmmakers and television showrunners, talent and other stakeholders as we consider our future production options.”

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