As incendiary anti-abortion legislation continues to roll out in states across the nation, Hollywood is under increased scrutiny to weigh in on a social issue that could affect thousands of jobs and steep financial investment. As many powerful content makers continue to wait and see how political fallout breaks, a handful of bold-named entities have committed to stay and fight the legislation.
The gesture has won over local film industry workers in Georgia, particularly women, numerous executives and knowledgeable insiders told Variety. Pledges from J.J. Abrams and Jordan Peele (shooting HBO’s “Lovecraft Country”) and Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping (the film trilogy “Fear Street” and series “P-Valley”) to donate money to local groups fighting the state’s “heartbeat bill” have inspired crews to follow suit.
“The response on the ground has been incredibly gratifying,” Chernin, CEO of the Chernin Group, said. “On the ‘Fear Street’ set, a number of women staff have given incredible feedback. Departments like the camera people on ‘P-Valley’ are starting a crowdfunding campaign to give to the ACLU as we have.”
Abrams and Peele are donating their production fees to two local groups — the Georgia chapter of the ACLU and Fair Fight Georgia — after lengthy conversations with women in their employ and in various employment sectors in Georgia’s now-widespread production community (the state’s attractive 30% tax rebate has created a veritable Southern offshoot of Hollywood in recent years).
The decision to remain in Georgia and allocate funds to fighting the bill, HB 481, came as prominent Hollywood figures called for an all-out boycott of the state — and the calls keep coming. On Thursday, “Ozark” star and executive producer Jason Bateman released a statement saying if the bill becomes law on Jan. 1 he will “not work in Georgia, or any other state, that is so disgracefully at odds with women’s rights.”
See more at Variety.
