Originally posted Monday, June 3, 2019 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Since Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed the divisive fetal "heartbeat" abortion bill, dozens of actors, producers and TV and film production companies have spoken out about it.
Some have decided to boycott the state. Others have chosen to stay but contribute money to fight the bill. Some simply said they might take their productions elsewhere if it is actually enacted while hoping the courts simply overturn it.
How about the most prominent Atlanta-based producer/actor/studio owner Tyler Perry?
Silence.
Through his publicist at Sunshine Sachs, he had no comment on a very sensitive subject.
I was unable to find any interviews with Perry since the bill was passed so it doesn’t appear a journalist has had a chance to pose a question to him about it.
As for his personal position on abortion, again, I have not found any definitive statements in the public realm. (If you find one, please send me the source via my email address above.)
Perry has become one of the most powerful entertainment moguls in metro Atlanta. He acts in films, produces multiple films a year and oversees several TV shows for OWN.
He also owns and runs Tyler Perry Studios in southwest Atlanta on much of what used to be Fort McPherson.
About four years ago, Perry paid $30 million for 330 acres of the property. It's now one of the largest soundstages in the Southeast.
Perry has committed hundreds of millions of dollars into the state. He has expressed deep commitment to Georgia and has not shown any inclination to leave.
"The state is so easy for people to get to with the airport that we have here," Perry said on his website. "But for me, I love being in a place where there are more trees than people."
He has worked outside many of the traditional strictures of Hollywood while simultaneously partnering with traditional studios and networks. He has partnered with Atlanta-based TBS and Oprah Winfrey's OWN and now has a long-term deal with Viacom, with shows slated mostly for BET.
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