Producers Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping of Chernin Entertainment said in a statement Wednesday that their projects currently filming in Georgia, the Fox film trilogy “Fear Street” and the “P-Valley” TV series, will remain in the state, but they will be making a “significant donation to ACLU” in opposition to the anti-abortion “fetal heartbeat bill.”
“Our choice became pretty clear, we will stay in Georgia, stand shoulder to shoulder with the women of that state and the states under attack, and fight to win,” Chernin and Topping said in a joint statement. “In doing so will be making a significant donation to ACLU because whatever upside we have needs to be shared with the women everywhere who have the right as human beings to make medical decisions as sovereign individuals.”
Several Hollywood production companies have agreed to a boycott of the state of Georgia after Republican governor Brian Kemp signed into law a bill that would ban abortions in the state as soon as a fetal heartbeat is detected, which in some cases could be as early as six weeks into pregnancy. Though the law will not go into effect until Jan. 1, 2020 unless it is blocked in the courts, David Simon, Christine Vachon, Mark Duplass and Neal Dodson are among those who have said that they will boycott the state.
Others, such as J.J. Abrams and Jordan Peele on behalf of their project “Lovecraft Country,” have responded by instead agreeing to donate to charities that oppose the bill, including ACLU of Georgia and Fair Fight Georgia.
The “Fear Street” films are teenage horror stories based on books by “Goosebumps” author R.L. Stine, and all three are directed by Leigh Janiak, a horror director behind the film “Honeymoon.” Both Topping and Chernin serve as producers on the project via Chernin Entertainment.
The series “P-Valley” is described as “an unflinching, unapologetic and gritty look at the lives of dancers working down in the Dirty Delta.” Set in an infamous “shake junt” called the Pink Pony, the series is a look at the southern club world, where pro-ballers and politicians continuously collide with the dreams of five brave women.
Karena Evans directed the premiere episode and the playwright Katori Hall is the creator and showrunner. Topping and Chernin are executive producers on the series, and Dante Di Loreto also serves as an executive producer.
Peter and Megan Chernin will also be hosting an event with the ACLU Deputy Legal Director and Director of Center for Liberty Louise Melling. It will take place at their home on May 16.
Read the full statement from Chernin and Topping below:
When the “fetal heartbeat bill” was signed into law we were deep into production on two projects, our film trilogy Fear Street and the P-Valley TV series, so we were conflicted about contributing to the health of an economy and a state that had declared war on the rights and freedom of its women. On one hand, if we chose the boycott route, thousands of jobs would be lost ultimately damaging workers who rely on production for livelihood, including many women. We also know that the only way to fight the massive, now national incursion on women’s rights is through a legal battle, a battle that needs funding and on the ground support via organizations like the ACLU who are powering up to overturn the law. So our choice became pretty clear we will stay in Georgia, stand shoulder to shoulder with the women of that state and the states under attack, and fight to win. In doing so, we will be making a significant donation to the ACLU because whatever upside we have needs to be shared with the women everywhere who have the right as human beings to make medical decisions as sovereign individuals.