Georgia has hit a new record high in film and TV production spending, signaling a significant rebound from the coronavirus pandemic as well as a rebuke to the left-wing celebrities who in recent years called for a Hollywood boycott of the state over its fetal heartbeat abortion law.
State officials announced this week that film and TV production spending hit $4.4 billion for fiscal 2022, with 68 movies and 269 TV productions shooting in the state, as well as 42 commercials and 33 music videos.
.@GovKemp today announced a chart-topping year for the film and television industry as productions spent $4.4 billion in Georgia during fiscal year 2022 – a new industry record! read more about the industry’s economic impact:https://t.co/Ry1aOv3IB0 pic.twitter.com/MqyzgF9X6u
— Georgia, USA (@gdecd) August 1, 2022
“When the pandemic struck, we worked hard in Georgia to communicate with our partners in the Georgia film, TV, and streaming industries,” said Gov. Brian Kemp (R) said in an announcement. “Together, we forged a safe and appropriate path to allow the film industry to return to operations.”
He added: “We are once again celebrating incredible growth and investment from industry leaders.”
Georgia remains Hollywood’s favorite state for production, with hit shows including Netflix’s Stranger Things and Ozark filming in the state. Many of Disney’s Marvel movies also shoot in Georgia, including the upcoming Black Panther sequel.
That’s largely due to the state’s tax incentive program, which still ranks among the most generous in the country, luring productions away from California and other states.
But left-wing celebrities turned on Georgia in 2019 after the passage of the fetal heartbeat abortion law. Actress Alyssa Milano organized a campaign pushing for Hollywood business to leave Georgia over the legislation, which bans abortion after six weeks.
As Breitbart News reported, more than 100 Hollywood stars signed onto Milano’s petition, including Brie Larson, Jessica Chastain, Sean Penn, Lena Dunham, and Alec Baldwin.
There are over 20 productions shooting in GA & the state just voted to strip women of their bodily autonomy.
Hollywood! We should stop feeding GA economy. #HB481IsBadForBusiness
Heartbeat bill approved by Georgia Senate https://t.co/sFdahrIGnY https://t.co/TXJKMOPHcJ
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) March 23, 2019
The issue became moot in 2020 after a federal judge struck down the law, claiming it was unconstitutional.
But with the Supreme Court’s historical reversal of Roe v. Wade, Georgia’s situation has once again changed. Last month, a federal appeals court ruled that the state’s abortion law can take effect.
So far, Hollywood celebrities have been mostly silent about Georgia.
Boycotting Georgia would pose a thorny ethical dilemma for Hollywood studios since they would have to move their productions to other states with similar locales and tax incentives. But that would mean boycotting nearly half of the country, a feat that would be difficult if not impossible for any studio with multiple productions to manage.
Follow David Ng on Twitter @HeyItsDavidNg. Have a tip? Contact me at dng@breitbart.com
