Gavin Newsom met privately with Trump's Hollywood ambassador Jon Voight
LOS ANGELES — The exodus of movie and television production from California has brought together an unlikely duo working to stem the tide: California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Jon Voight, the actor-turned-show biz emissary for President Donald Trump.
The pair met privately Thursday afternoon in Century City, the sleek Los Angeles business district, to discuss their shared interest in boosting the state's iconic industry, which has increasingly moved its operations to other states and overseas.
They discussed Voight's proposal to reshore the American film industry through a combination of federal tax credits and tax code changes, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting granted anonymity to discuss it. They also talked about Newsom's push to double California's film tax incentive, which is currently winding its way through state budget talks.
'They shared a commitment to working together to help to build up the film industry in the U.S. — particularly California and Los Angeles,' the person said, adding that Newsom expressed interest in working with Trump on the issue.
Voight, the 'Midnight Cowboy' star who Trump designated a 'special ambassador' to Hollywood, has become an increasingly visible figure in the efforts to stanch runaway production. He was joined Thursday by his business partner, Steven Karol, and producer Scott Karol, who have been meeting with studio executives, labor leaders and Trump himself at Mar-a-Lago to pitch their draft plan to rescue the industry.
Voight's proposal includes harsh tariffs on producers who could have based their productions in the states but chose instead to film abroad, though tariffs were not discussed in his sit-down with Newsom, according to the person familiar with the discussion. Tariff talk has subsided in recent weeks after Trump vowed to impose a 100 percent tariff on 'any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands.' The missive immediately rocked — and confused — the industry.
A Newsom aide confirmed the meeting took place and said the governor, while focused on the California tax credit now, is 'open to all good ideas.' A representative for Voight also confirmed the meeting.
Also present was DeeDee Myers, Newsom's chief economic adviser and director of the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development. Myers, a former executive at Warner Brothers, has been a key player in the effort to double California's film tax credit and overhaul the program to make filming in California more enticing.
Local production has shriveled in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, two paralyzing industry strikes and more aggressive incentives from other jurisdictions.
Newsom's office reaffirmed Thursday that the tax credit expansion was a top priority for next year's budget, which is entering its final negotiations before the June 15 deadline.
'The Governor is fully committed to this 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,' said Tara Gallegos, a spokesperson for the governor.'
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