Netflix warned on Tuesday that it will join the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to fight Georgia’s new “heartbeat” bill and may “rethink our entire investment” in the state if the law should go into effect.
In a statement to Variety on Tuesday, Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said in a statement that the streaming giant will work with the ACLU and others to fight the heartbeat bill, which bans abortion once a heartbeat is detected, in court.
“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’s Ted Sarandos weighs in on production in Georgia amid the new abortion law: “We have many women working on productions in Georgia, whose rights, along with millions of others, will be severely restricted by this law” https://t.co/MbxNJnSi1B
— Variety (@Variety) May 29, 2019
According to Variety, Netflix is the first major studio to commit to taking action against Georgia’s law, as other major studios have remained rather quiet on the abortion ban.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed the ban, which prohibits virtually all abortions, into law earlier this month, but it does not go into effect until 2020, which has left a window open for the law to face legal challenges in court.
Two weeks after the bill was signed into law, numerous district attorneys in Georgia told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution would not prosecute women who get the procedure.
Several in the television and film industries have said that they will refuse to take their productions to the state over the law, which could severely impact the state since Georgia has become a hub for television and film production as it provides tax incentives, ABC News reports.
In March, over 100 actors and actresses signed a letter promoted by Alyssa Milano, opposing the bill and threatening to “do everything in our power to move our industry to a safer state for women” if the bill became law.
Milano, who stars in Netflix’s Insatiable, which filmed in Georgia, called for a boycott of the state this month over the bill becoming law.
“I will do everything in my power to get as many productions as possible — including ‘Insatiable’ — to move out of this state which continues to put forth oppressive, hurtful policy that contradicts everything the entertainment industry stands for,” she told The Wrap.
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo have said they would relocate their Lionsgate film Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar outside of Georgia. Reed Morano’s Amazon series The Power also uprooted from the state.
Actor Jason Bateman, who stars Netflix’s Ozark and HBO’s The Outsider ― both of which film in Georgia ― told The Hollywood Reporter that he would boycott if the law was upheld.
Jordan Peele and J.J. Abrams have said they will continue to make their HBO show Lovecraft County in Georgia but will donate all of their “episodic fees” to the ACLU and other organizations that are fighting the abortion ban.