Georgia is home to some of the world’s biggest businesses but this could all change now to the abortion law.
The boss of Walt Disney says it would be “very difficult” for the company to keep filming in Georgia if the new abortion law is in action.
Walt Disney co-chief executive Bob Iger said on Wednesday he think many people who work for the media company will not want to work in Georgia. If the law takes effect, “I don’t see how it’s practical for us to continue to shoot there,” Bob Iger said.
He also said that the company is monitoring the situation very carefully.
Actor Jason Bateman, who stars in the Netflix show Ozark and in HBO’s The Outsider, which are both currently filming in Georgia, told The Hollywood Reporter: “I will not work in Georgia, or any other state, that is so disgracefully at odds with women’s rights”.
Earlier this month, Georgia’s Republican governor Brian Kemp signed the law which bans abortions six weeks into a pregnancy before many women even realise they are pregnant.
Netflix also said it would “rethink” its film and television productions investments in Georgia if the new law is implemented. Netflix’s chief content officer Ted Sarandos explained: “We have many women working on productions in Georgia, whose rights, along with millions of others, will be severely restricted by this law.”
Companies such as Apple, Coca-Cola and PayPal have attacked the pill and threatened not to create any new jobs in the state.
Actors have signed an open letter in March which pledges that they will not work in Georgia if the law is put into action. 50 actors proposed a boycott of film and television production in the state. “We want to stay in Georgia,” the letter reads. “But we will not do so silently, and we will do everything in our power to move our industry to a safer state for women if [this] becomes law.”
To @BrianKempGA & Speaker Ralston:
Attached, is an open letter signed by 50 actors against #HB481. On behalf of the undersigned–as people often called to work in GA or those of us contractually bound to work in GA–we hope you’ll reconsider signing this bill. #HBIsBadForBusiness pic.twitter.com/DsOmAWYU2x— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) March 28, 2019
Alyssa Milano said she must film in the state for at least one more month per her contact and she has said she will not be returning for a third series of the Netflix show Insatiable if it is filmed there.
Many other actors have voiced their support. Christine Vachon said her production company Killer Films would not consider working in Georgia “until this ridiculous law is overturned”.
The Writers Guild of America strongly criticised the legislation before its passage. “This law would make Georgia an inhospitable place for those in the film and television industry to work, including our members,” its statement read.
WGAE and @WGAWest oppose Georgia’s abortion ban legislation #HB481. This draconian anti-choice law would discourage people in our industry from working in Georgia and could harm the state’s vibrant film and television industry. Full statement attached. pic.twitter.com/bAfJkhXSTv
— Writers Guild of America, East (@WGAEast) March 26, 2019
