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Hollywood Responds to Georgia’s Anti-Abortion Law

After Gov. Brian Kemp signed Georgia’s restrictive abortion law, several production companies promised to cease filming in the state or at least “rethink” their plans.

The law that was passed in 2019 is now allowed to take effect. A federal judge ruled it unconstitutional, but a federal appeals court has overturned the lower court’s ruling. The decision from the federal appeals court was expected after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that there is no right to an abortion in the Dobbs v. Jackson case in June.placeholder

The Georgia law bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. The law includes exceptions for rape and incest, as long as a police report is filed. It also allows for later abortions when the mother’s life is at risk or a serious medical condition renders a fetus unviable. Now that the three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has allowed the law to take effect, here is a look back at which Hollywood companies vowed to boycott Georgia as well as what others have said.

Hollywood Responds to Georgia's Anti-Abortion Law
Hunger Games

Color Force

Color Force, the production company behind all four “The Hunger Games” films, announced that it would stop filming in Georgia., the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

The last three films in the franchise were shot in Atlanta. The prequel of the franchise, which is set to be released in 2023, is filming in Poland.

Killer Films

Christine Vachon, CEO of Killer Films, said they will not film in the state anymore. The company specializes in Indie films, such as “Carol.”

“Killer Films will no longer consider Georgia as a viable shooting location until this ridiculous law is overturned,” Vachon tweeted at the time.

Mark Duplass of Duplass Brothers Productions

Mark Duplass, co-founder of Duplass Brothers Production, condemned the new law on Twitter.

“Don’t give your business to Georgia,” he wrote at the time.

“Will you pledge with me not to film anything in Georgia until they reverse this backwards legislation?” Duplass, whose company also doesn’t appear to have filmed in Georgia, added.

Meanwhile, some big name production companies said that the “heartbeat” bill could impact their decision-making, or they would reconsider filming in Georgia in 2019.

NBCUniversal

“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 2019 statement, referencing abortion laws in multiple states the company films in – including Georgia.

NBCUniversal is planning to open a new production studio in partnership with Gray Television in 2023. The studio will be located in Georgia.

“Gray Television is thrilled to expand our already strong relationship with NBCU,” Gray’s Executive Chairman and CEO Hilton H. Howell, Jr. in a statement. “The new venture announced today places Gray’s own studio projects inside a large, first-class television and film production facility that will draw upon and will surely increase the large pool of skilled industry professionals who also make their homes here in the Atlanta metroplex.”

WarnerMedia 

WarnerMedia said that if the “heartbeat” bill was approved in Georgia, the production company would “reconsider” the state as a home for new productions.

“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 a country and their leaders, we do respect due process,” WarnerMedia said in a statement at the time.

“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.”

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Netflix

Netflix’s CEO Ted Sarandos said that the streaming site would continue to film in Georgia after the law was passed. However, if it goes into effect, the company will “rethink” its “entire investment” in Georgia.

“We have many women working on productions in Georgia, whose rights, along with millions of others, will be severely restricted by this law,” Sarandos said. “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.”

Netflix filmed multiple projects in Georgia, including parts of “Ozark” and “Stranger Things.”

Tyler Perry Studios

Not everyone has pledged to boycott. Tyler Perry plans to continue his plans to open a studio in Georgia, even though the law says he can’t leave.

“Atlanta has been the dream. It has been the promised land,” Perry said in 2019. “So when I got here, this whole state and city has been amazing to me and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. Also, I put $250 million in the ground here and in the studio. So when you have a quarter of a billion dollars sat down in the ground, you can’t just up and leave.”

However, the filmmaker does not agree with the “heartbeat” legislation.

“I don’t believe any man should be able to tell a woman what she can do with her body or reproductive organs,” he said.

On July 20, following the court’s ruling Gov. Kemp said, “Since taking office in 2019, our family has committed to serving Georgia in a way that cherishes and values each and every human being, and today’s decision by the 11th Circuit affirms our promise to protect life at all stages.”

However, the law is still facing legal challenges because abortion providers and advocacy groups filed a new lawsuit on Tuesday. They argue that the law violates privacy protections in the state Constitution.

Source: Fox News

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