Georgia Governor Postpones L.A. Visit After Hollywood Backlash Over New Abortion Law (Report)

Brian Kemp was set to make his annual trip to Los Angeles to promote the state’s film and TV industry on May 22.

Georgia's governor is postponing a planned trip to Los Angeles after a searing backlash from Hollywood over recently passed anti-abortion legislation in the state.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported Tuesday that Gov. Brian Kemp was no longer making the trip to Los Angeles to promote Georgia's film and TV industry on May 22 due to fears over protests from abortion rights groups as well as a poor turnout from entertainment industry executives, who have been vociferous in their condemnation of the so-called "heartbeat" bill, which outlaws most abortions as early as six weeks.

The legislation has sparked a huge backlash in Hollywood and could impact Georgia's thriving film and TV production industry. Five production companies have already vowed not to use the state for future productions. The Wire and The Deuce creator David Simon, who runs Blown Deadline Productions; producer Nina Jacobson, whose company Colorforce is responsible for such hits as Crazy Rich Asians and American Crime Story; and Mark Duplass, whose production company Duplass Brothers Productions has a four-picture film deal with Netflix, have all said publicly they will not film in Georgia while the law is in place.

Last week, Hollywood heavyweights J.J. Abrams and Jordan Peele, who are shooting their new HBO drama Lovecraft Country in Georgia, waded into the controversy by releasing a statement condemning the legislation.

"In a few weeks we start shooting our new show, Lovecraft Country, and will do so standing shoulder to shoulder with the women of Georgia," the pair said in a joint statement. "Governor Kemp's 'Fetal Heartbeat' Abortion Law is an unconstitutional effort to further restrict women and their health providers from making private medical decisions on their terms. Make no mistake, this is an attack aimed squarely and purposely at women."

Abrams added that his production company Bad Robot and Peele's Monkeypaw Productions will donate funds to fight the legislation.

In addition to producers and production companies, SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris wrote in a personal Instagram post on Tuesday, "As a woman and a person of conscience who has always used my voice to champion the rights of others, I am personally outraged at the all-out assault on women’s health and safety by the ‘fetal heartbeat’ laws sweeping across our country." She added, "I will do everything in my power to fight this egregious attack — starting with announcing my support for several important organizations fighting to safeguard women’s health and rights" and encouraged followers to donate to the ACLU, Access Reproductive Care and Planned Parenthood.

5/15/2019 10:50 a.m. rephrased reference to Carteris to reflect that she was posting personally, not on behalf of the union.