Gov. Gavin Newsom and Jon Voight, one of President Donald Trump’s three Hollywood ambassadors, met in Century City on Thursday to discuss the actor’s “Make Hollywood Great Again” proposal, TheWrap has learned.
“The group discussed their shared commitment to supporting the television and film industry, including the Governor’s proposed $750 million investment in California’s film and television industry, which will protect good-paying jobs and support the workers who power the state’s creative economy,” the governor’s office shared in a statement to TheWrap.
“From construction crews and electricians to costumers and lighting technicians, these ‘below-the-line’ crews are the backbone of a vital California industry,” the statement continued. “This investment will help ensure they can keep doing what they do best — crafting stories, building careers and keeping the Golden State the global leader in entertainment.”
Former Warner Bros. executive Dee Dee Myers, who is Senior Advisor to the Governor and Director of Go Biz, Steven Paul and Scott Karol were also present. “They shared a commitment to working together to help to build up the film industry in the U.S. — particularly California and Los Angeles,” Politico further reported.
The meeting came as California’s $750 million film tax credit plan remains in the air as state budget cuts have weighed down the process. The pair of California Film & TV Jobs Act bills passed their first floor votes in Sacramento this week, though it’s unclear if Trump’s tariffs and/or Los Angeles wildfire recovery efforts could impact the outcome.
If successful, the bills would expand the types of productions that are eligible for tax incentives, offer a 35% tax rate to L.A.-based productions and increase the program’s cap from $330 million to $750 million. Newsom also previously suggested a $7.5 billion film and TV national tax incentive program last month.
The Oscar-winning actor’s May proposal includes a carrot-and-stick approach, mixing tax incentives, foreign film tariffs and co-production treaties to encourage U.S. movie production. Mel Gibson and Sylvester Stallone are Trump’s other two Hollywood ambassadors.
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