Rich, liberal Hollywood celebrities said they will fulfill their threat to boycott Georgia after its governor signed a law Tuesday to ban abortions once an unborn baby’s heartbeat is detectable.
Actress Alyssa Milano, who is leading the boycott, said she plans to stop filming her Netflix show “Insatiable” in Georgia and encourages others to do the same, Yahoo News reports.
“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 said.
The Blaze reports two filming companies said they will not film in Georgia anymore because of the pro-life law: Blown Deadline, which is owned by David Simon, and Killer Films, which is owned by Christine Vachon. According to the Hollywood Reporter, a third, Duplass Brothers Productions, also said this week that they will boycott the state.
Georgia is a popular filming location for television and movie productions.
On Tuesday, Gov. Brian Kemp signed the heartbeat bill into law, ignoring the elite Hollywood liberals’ threats. The bill passed the state legislature earlier this spring.
The law bans abortions on an unborn baby after their heartbeat is detectable, around six weeks. It allows exceptions for rape, incest and threats to the mother’s life. In addition, it will allow parents to claim unborn babies as dependents on their taxes and include the unborn baby in census data. It also will allow mothers to collect child support for pregnancy and delivery costs from the fathers prior to the baby’s birth.
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“The Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act … recognizes something that many have know for years. It recognizes that science tells us that children in the womb are living, distinct human beings that are worthy of full legal protection,” Kemp said during the signing ceremony.
“I realize that some may challenge it in a court of law,” he continued. “But our job is to do what is right, not what is easy. We are called to be strong and courageous, and we will not back down. We will always continue to fight for life.”
The ACLU of Georgia responded Tuesday with plans to sue to block the law, AL.com reports.
Milano said celebrities should not wait for the outcome of the lawsuit before they boycott.
“Should people wait to boycott? No. Should we keep funding states that put forth hurtful policy? No,” Milano said. “If you are offered a project that shoots in Georgia or are a producer considering working in Georgia or any state with a heartbeat bill, you should not take that job and you should be vocal about why you’re not taking that job.”
She said if her show “Insatiable” does not move out of Georgia, she will refuse to return for the third season.
“This is my leverage. I will use it for the betterment of society and our great country,” the actress said.
Milano and other Hollywood liberals have been using their influence to stir up outrage about the heartbeat bill. Celebrities including Alec Baldwin, Amy Schumer, Rosie O’Donnell, Sean Penn, Mia Farrow and Ben Stiller joined Milano in their condemnation of the bill.
Star Wars actors Mark Hamill and Natalie Portman said they would boycott the state as well.
Amazon.com, Coca-Cola Co. and several other major companies also oppose the legislation, The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports.
But Georgia state Rep. Ed Setzler, the lead sponsor of the bill, said their goal is to protect unborn babies, who already are unique, living human beings by six weeks of pregnancy.
“Protecting life in the womb with a human heartbeat is what science, law and human conscience would suggest,” Setzler said.
Some pro-lifers have renewed hope that the new conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court will uphold an abortion ban and overturn Roe v. Wade. Others, however, are hesitant because of concerns about losing the court battle and being forced to reimburse pro-abortion groups for their legal fees.
Recently, a federal judge blocked Kentucky’s new heartbeat bill. In January, a judge also declared Iowa’s heartbeat law unconstitutional. North Dakota and Arkansas passed heartbeat bills several years ago, but federal courts struck down their laws as well.
There is more hope that the U.S. Supreme Court may consider an abortion ban, but it is difficult to say if it would for certain – especially after Chief Justice John Roberts recently sided with the liberal justices on an abortion case.
