Netflix vows to work with ACLU in fight against draconian Georgia anti-abortion law
On May 7, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law one of the so-called “heartbeat bills” that has been introduced in state legislatures. Georgia’s law will ban abortions as soon as a fetal heartbeat is detected, effectively outlawing abortions in that southern state after only six weeks. Many people in the entertainment industry have been threatening to pull out of Georgia altogether because of the law, and Netflix is now vowing to work with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in fighting it.
Ted Sarandos, chief content officer for Netflix, told Variety, “We have many women working on productions in Georgia whose rights, along with millions of others, will be severely restricted by this law. It’s why we will work with the ACLU and others to fight it in court.”
Georgia’s anti-abortion law won’t go into effect until January 1, 2020. And Sarandos told Variety that unless Georgia reconsiders the law, it may follow the lead of others and boycott Georgia altogether.
“Given the legislation has not yet been implemented,” Sarandos explained to Variety, “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.”
One celebrity who has decided to boycott Georgia because of the law is comedian Kristen Wiig, formerly of NBC’s long-running “Saturday Night Live.” Last week, a spokesperson for Wiig confirmed to CNN that her new comedy with Annie Mumolo, “Barb and Star Go to Vista del Mar,” will not be filming in Georgia because of the “heartbeat bill.” And Jane Featherstone and Naomi De Pear, executive producers for Sister Pictures’ Amazon program, “The Power,” are boycotting Georgia as well.
In an official statement, Featherstone and De Pear asserted, “We feel we have to stand up for a woman’s right to choose what happens to her body. And so, while this is not a decision we have taken lightly, we feel strongly that it is the right one at this point in time.”
Others who have declared that they won’t be doing any filming in Georgia range from Blown Deadline Productions President David Simon (who is famous for “The Wire,” “The Deuce” and “Treme”) to Killer Films CEO Christine Vachon.
