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Count writer/director/actor Tyler Perry out of those who want to boycott Georgia over its “heartbeat” abortion law.
Perry told the Associated Press on Friday that he can’t “just up and leave” filming in Georgia. Perry is opening a huge Atlanta studio soon, and said he’s committed to staying in the state.
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“Atlanta has been the dream. It has been the promised land,” he said. “So when I got here, this whole state and city has been amazing to me and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. Also, I put $250 million in the ground here and in the studio. So when you have a quarter of a billion dollars sat down in the ground, you can’t just up and leave.”
Many in Hollywood declared they will not do business in the state after Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed a restrictive abortion law in May. The law bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected and will become enforceable on Jan. 1.
Perry said he is against the new law. “I don’t believe any man should be able to tell a woman what she can do with her body or reproductive organs,” he said.
He also noted that Georgia workers in the television and film industries could have an impact on elections.
“What I know about this industry is that there are 94,000-plus or 98,000 people who are in this industry and who are benefiting from it greatly,” he said. “And that’s a lot of votes. I’m in a wait and see moment right now. But that’s a lot of votes. That’s a lot of votes that can determine an election.”
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