Clint Eastwood defying boycott of Georgia over abortion bill

Clint Eastwood will reportedly produce a film in Georgia this summer, despite the backlash across Hollywood to the state’s abortion restrictions earlier this year.

“The Ballad of Richard Jewell” is set to start production this summer, according to NBC’s WCNC in Charlotte, which added that the film will star Kathy Bates, Olivia Wilde, Jon Hamm and Sam Rockwell, among others.

Eastwood will also direct the movie, according to Variety. It will center around Richard Jewell, a security guard who discovered bombs at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and was accused of planning the attack, although he was later exonerated.

{mosads}In March, more than 40 celebrities signed on to a letter to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) threatening to push film production crews not to work in the state if a “heartbeat” abortion bill, which prohibited abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, became law. Kemp signed the legislation into law in May.

Rosie O’Donnell, Gabrielle Union, Patton Oswalt, Amy Schumer, Ben Stiller, Sarah Silverman, Don Cheadle, Mia Farrow, Essence Atkins, Uzo Aduba and Christina Applegate all signed the letter, according to a tweet from actress Alyssa Milano, who spearheaded the effort. Olivia Wilde also signed on to the letter.

I will be supporting the women of Georgia as we stand in solidarity for all women’s rights and hand deliver the below letter to Brian Kemp at 5pm EST this evening. I will broadcast live here on Twitter. #WeWontGoBack pic.twitter.com/gcZqlrW2kB

— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) April 2, 2019

Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams (D) met with entertainment industry officials and encouraged them not to abandon the state earlier this month, asking them to donate to candidates and groups working to change the state’s abortion laws.