Netflix’s Ted Sarandos speaks out against Georgia abortion law

Netflix is stepping up as the only major studio or streaming service to say something on the record about Georgia’s controversial new abortion law.

The Georgia law, while not alone in a recent string of restrictive state-level abortion legislation, has come to the forefront in Hollywood because the state is the third-largest production location in the country.

“We have many women working on productions in Georgia, whose rights, along with millions of others, will be severely restricted by this law,” Netflix’s chief content officer, Ted Sarandos, said Tuesday in a statement obtained by Variety. “It’s why we will work with the ACLU and others to fight it in court.”

“Given the legislation has not yet been implemented, we’ll continue to film there, while also supporting partners and artists who choose not to,” he continued.

The legislation, which would prohibit an abortion once a heartbeat is detected, sometimes as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, is set to become law Jan. 1. However, it is expected to face legal challenges.

If the law were to go into effect, Sarandos said, Netflix would “rethink our entire investment in Georgia.”

Netflix didn’t respond immediately to The Times’ request for comment Tuesday.

Smaller production companies belonging to David Simon and Mark Duplass, among others, have said they will not film in Georgia since HB 481 was signed by Gov. Brian Kemp. The Kristen Wiig movie “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar” and the Amazon Studios TV show “The Power” have also nixed plans to shoot there.

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