California Gov. Gavin Newsom took out an ad in Variety to urge Hollywood to 'walk the walk' on their values and stop filming in conservative states like Georgia and Oklahoma

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom took out an ad in Variety to urge Hollywood to 'walk the walk' on their values and stop filming in conservative states like Georgia and Oklahoma
California Gov. Gavin Newsom answers questions at a news conference in Los Angeles, on June 9, 2022.Richard Vogel, File/Associated Press
  • CA Gov. Gavin Newsom put out a full-page ad in Variety on Wednesday calling out Hollywood.
  • Newsom said the industry should reconsider shooting in states that limit abortion and LGBTQ rights.
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday took out a full-page ad in Variety to urge Hollywood to "walk the walk" on its value and avoid shooting in states waging a "cruel assault on essential rights."

"Hollywood: your values, you choice," the ad begins, touting California as the "best place in America to create" and the "home for storytelling and story tellers" for over 100 years. It mentions the "robust tax incentives" and "the best culture" for creators, adding: "Most importantly, we share your values."

"Over the past several years, the legislatures of states like Georgia and Oklahoma have waged a cruel assault on essential rights," the ad says, adding that those states have now moved to limit abortion rights in the wake of Roe v. Wade's reversal.

"Today more than ever, you have a responsibility to take stock of your values — and those of your employees — when doing business in those states," it continues, adding that California is a "freedom state" that supports access to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.

"So to those in power to make decisions about where to film, where to hire, where to open new offices, we in California say: Walk the walk," the ad finishes. "Choose freedom. Choose creativity. Choose California."

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Newsom shared the ad, which was paid for by the governor's PAC, alongside an announcement of his support for extending tax incentives for the film and television industry.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom took out an ad in Variety to urge Hollywood to 'walk the walk' on their values and stop filming in conservative states like Georgia and Oklahoma
The full-page ad Gov. Gavin Newsom ran in Variety.Gov. Gavin Newsom

The bill he endorsed, SB 485, would invest $1.65 billion in California's Film & Television Tax Credit Program to extend it through 2030. Under the program, the industry receives $330 million per year in tax credits. Newsom said extending the program would "help ensure California's world-renowned entertainment industry continues to drive economic growth with good jobs and a diverse, inclusive workforce."

Hollywood unions praised Newsom's support for the bill, which has already passed the state Senate and will go to the full Assembly before landing on the governor's desk for signing.

More film and television productions are shot in California than any other state, followed by New York and Texas, but some relatively unexpected states are high up on the list. Georgia, for instance, has become a major shooting location, largely due to its "production-friendly" tax program. It's also among the red states cracking down on abortion, with a six-week ban in the state that took effect last month.

Newsom's ad is just the latest example of him targeting Republican states. In an television ad that aired in Florida last month, the California Democrat said "freedom is under attack in your state" and urged residents to come to California.

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