Appearing on NBC’s Third Hour Today show on Tuesday, director Ron Howard talked about threats from himself and other Hollywood power brokers to boycott filming in the state of Georgia over proposed pro-life legislation being considered by the Republican governor. Howard saw no problem with the entertainment industry trying to bully the state into submission.
While interviewing Howard about some of his latest projects, co-host Craig Melvin brought up the abortion issue: “And you’re also working on one of my favorite books over the last few years as well, J.D. Vance’s memoir, Hillbilly Elegy. My understanding is that the plan is to start filming in Georgia unless the governor signs that controversial heartbeat bill?”
After briefly explaining that the filming would be done before the pro-life bill would be signed into law, Howard warned: “We did let it be known through our production company, Brian Grazer and I at Imagine Entertainment, that should it be signed that we would, and go into law, we would boycott the state.”
Melvin followed up: “Why boycott the state though?” Howard seemed happy to throw his weight around in an effort to intimidate Georgia:
Oh, I think it’s really because the entertainment industry brings a lot of revenue to Georgia, and I think it’s really just, you know, an attempt to say, “This is now a multi-billion dollar industry for you, and there are a lot of people involved in it that, you know, wouldn’t want to see this kind of roll back.”
Howard joins a parade of other liberal celebrities vowing never to film in Georgia again if Governor Brian Kemp signs the legislation protecting unborn children from abortion if a fetal heartbeat is detected:
More Stars Join Boycott Over ‘Draconian’ Abortion Bill
‘Star Wars’ Director And ‘Twilight Zone’ Producer Donate to Fight ‘Heartbeat Bill’
Good Riddance: ‘Wire’ Creator Leads Hollywood Exodus from Georgia Over ‘Heartbeat Bill’
While NBC was eager to promote Howard jumping into the political fray, when the director appeared on Tuesday’s CBS This Morning, the hosts there focused on his film making rather than abortion.
Here is a transcript of the May 28 exchange on Third Hour Today:
9:46 AM ET
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CRAIG MELVIN: And you’re also working on one of my favorite books over the last few years as well, J.D. Vance’s memoir, Hillbilly Elegy.
RON HOWARD: Yes, yes.
MELVIN: My understanding is that the plan is to start filming in Georgia unless the governor signs that controversial heartbeat bill?
HOWARD: Well, we will have shot and completed before he makes that ultimate decision in January, right? And it’s either signed or not signed. So it doesn’t really affect us. We did let it be known through our production company, Brian Grazer and I at Imagine Entertainment, that should it be signed that we would, and go into law, we would boycott the state.
But it’s – for our purposes, making the film, partly in Ohio, partly in Georgia, we were in a position where we also didn’t want to take this possibility, as much as – as strongly as some of us really feel about the issue, and, you know, and withdraw and leave all these people out of work and –
MELVIN: Why boycott the state though? Why would that be the –
HOWARD: Oh, I think it’s really because the entertainment industry brings a lot of revenue to Georgia, and I think it’s really just, you know, an attempt to say, “This is now a multi-billion dollar industry for you, and there are a lot of people involved in it that, you know, wouldn’t want to see this kind of roll back."
(...)
