Georgia’s pending religious liberty legislation it getting more and more attention. And not in a good way. Disney and Marvel said they would their business elsewhere. Then AMC. The list keeps growing:
- Amblin Partners
“Amblin Partners is committed to diversity and inclusion for all,” the company led by Steven Spielberg. “We would be disappointed to see our pipeline of production end at the Georgia border because of this legislation. While we are aware that Governor Deal has not yet made a decision, we stand with our industry colleagues in strongly urging him to veto this bill.”
“Netflix is an inclusive company,” a Netflix spokesperson said Thursday afternoon. “We recently completed two films and a series in Georgia and had planned on filming two series there in the coming months. Should any legislation allowing discriminatory practice be signed into state law, we will move our productions elsewhere.”
- CBS
“CBS Corporation is committed to an environment that values diversity and inclusion throughout the company and in all our business practices,” said the company in a statement Thursday. “The discriminatory language in Georgia’s proposed religious liberty bill conflicts with these core ethics and values. We call on Governor Deal to exercise his veto power.”
- NBCU
“At Comcast NBCUniversal we are proud of our record of inclusion and stand against discrimination of all forms, the media giant asserted. “We join the voices that urge Governor Deal to protect Georgia from any discriminatory laws.”
- MGM
“MGM is unequivocally committed to inclusion, diversity and tolerance in all circumstances,” a spokesperson from the studio said today. “We stand beside our many studio partners in publicly encouraging Governor Deal to veto the discriminatory House Bill 757. Our sincere hope is the state repudiates this hateful and bigoted legislation.” STX also pushed Deal to kill the bill. “STX Entertainment is an ardent supporter of diversity, participation and access and opposes discrimination of any kind,” said the Robert Simonds founded studio. “We join others in the creative and business communities to strongly urge Governor Deal to veto this bill.”
- Discovery
“Discovery Communications has a 30-year commitment to the values of diversity, inclusion, and acceptance of all cultures and lifestyles,” said the cabler. “As a purpose-driven company, we strive to promote a value system that respects differences, empowers communities, and inspires us all to create a more vibrant world. We strongly oppose any laws tolerating discrimination of any kind. We urge Gov. Deal to veto the proposed Georgia law that would limit the freedoms and protections of LGBT residents of Georgia.”
- Open Road
“Open Road Films is proud to support diversity and inclusion in all of our business practices,” a spokesman said. “We will not remain silent in the face of a discriminatory law such as Georgia House Bill 757. Along with our colleagues in the motion picture industry, we urge Governor Deal to veto this reprehensible proposed law.”
- 21st Century Fox
“On behalf of 21st Century Fox’s many creative partners and colleagues who choose to film their projects in the beautiful state of Georgia, we join the growing coalition of businesses in asking Governor Deal to veto this bill,” a spokesperson for the company said Thursday.
- Lionsgate
“Lionsgate has deep roots in the State of Georgia in our film, television and location-based entertainment businesses,” said The Hunger Games franchise studio. “As a Company committed to diversity, inclusiveness and tolerance, we urge the Governor of Georgia to veto the deplorable and regressive legislation (House Bill 757) that has been sent to him. We take pride in our relationship with the people of Georgia and want to ensure that we can continue to offer our employees and talent there a working environment consistent with our policies and values.”
- Sony Picture
“Georgia Bill HB 757 is anathema to our studio and to all those who value diversity and inclusion, said Sony Picture’s Chief Communications Officer Robert Lawson on Thursday too. “We strongly urge Governor Deal to exercise his veto.”
- Time Warner
- Viacom
- Weinstein Company
- Starz
- Hollywood industry leaders including: Greg Berlanti, Matt Bomer, Dustin Lance Black, Kathy Kennedy, Bryan Lourd, Seth MacFarlane, Ryan Murphy, Rob Reiner and Aaron Sorkin who all signed their names to a letter sent to Gov. Nathan Deal by the Human Rights Campaign:
Here is the Human Rights Campaign letter:
Dear Governor Deal,
As leaders in the entertainment industry, we have deep concerns about H.B. 757, which would sanction discrimination against LGBT people and others in Georgia.
As you know, Atlanta is often referred to as the Hollywood of the South. During the last fiscal year, at least 248 films and television productions were shot in Georgia, adding at least $1.7 billion in direct spending to the state’s economy. Additionally, the entertainment industry helped to bring more than 100 businesses to Georgia through relocation or expansion in the past fiscal year. Only two states — California and New York — have a larger entertainment industry footprint and both have statewide non-discrimination protections on the books. Unfortunately, Georgia not only lacks such protections, but could soon move from a bad situation to worse with H.B. 757.
We pride ourselves on running inclusive companies, and while we have enjoyed a positive partnership on productions in Georgia, we will plan to take our business elsewhere if any legislation sanctioning discrimination is signed into state law.
We urge you to veto H.B. 757 and send a strong message that Georgia will not tolerate discrimination against citizens, employees and visitors to the state.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this urgent issue.”
Ali Adler, Writer and Producer
Greg Berlanti, Writer and Producer
Matt Bomer, Actor & Simon Halls, Publicist
Dustin Lance Black, Screenwriter and Filmmaker
Bradley Bredeweg, Executive Producer and Showrunner
Kristin Chenoweth, Actress and Singer
Diablo Cody, Writer, Producer and Director
Bruce Cohen, Producer
Lee Daniels, Producer and Director
Dana Fox, Writer and Producer
John Goldwyn, Producer
James Gunn, Writer and Director
Anne Hathaway, Actress
Alan Hergott, Entertainment Attorney
Nina Jacobson, Producer
Dan Jinks, Producer
Kathy Kennedy, Producer
Zoe Kravitz, Actress
Bryan Lourd, Talent Agent
Seth MacFarlane, Producer and Filmmaker
Laurence Mark, Producer
Frank Marshall, Producer and Director
Neil Meron, Producer
Julianne Moore, Actress
Ryan Murphy, Producer
Peter Paige, Executive Producer and Showrunner
Rob Reiner, Actor, Director and Producer
Sarah Schechter, Producer
Adam Shankman, Director and Producer
Aaron Sorkin, Screenwriter and Producer
Marisa Tomei, Actress
Gus Van Sant, Producer and Director
Harvey Weinstein, Producer and Film Studio Executive
Craig Zadan, Producer and Director
Film and TV productions in Georgia brought in more than $1.7 billion in direct spending in fiscal 2015. Gov. Nathan Deal has until May 3 to decide if he will ink or veto the legislation that intends in part “to provide that religious officials shall not be required to perform marriage ceremonies in violation of their legal right to free exercise of religion. It also allows faith-based organizations to not hire or provide services to those who “violate such faith-based organization’s sincerely held religious belief.” Stay tuned, kids…