Hollywood star sounds alarm over disappearing jobs as productions flee California

When Adam Carolla asked actor and comedian Jeff Garlin on his podcast last week whether there was "anything going on in Hollywood anymore," the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star admitted that acting roles had virtually dried up for him.

"I haven't worked in almost three years since Curb ended," Garlin said, prefacing his remarks with uncertainty about whether he should reveal his circumstances. "…The reason that you and I do this no longer exists. It doesnt."

"We could be doing this thing in Sweden," he added.

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With that comment, Garlin was referring to the growing number of productions that have left not only California but the country altogether. Meanwhile, California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said last week that a new post-production tax credit, an expanded film and television tax credit, and protections for actors against AI-generated content are expected to help Hollywood.

In total, 35 films, 28 of which are independent projects, received production incentives in the latest round of awards under the California Film Commission's expanded Film and Television Tax Credit Program. The commission estimates the projects will generate more than $1 billion in direct production spending, create jobs for more than 5,400 cast and crew members, and employ 24,800 background actors.

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Additionally, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers is working on a federal tax credit for film and television productions that could be used alongside state production incentives.

Even with the proposed and expanded incentives, conversations with people in Hollywood suggest that uncertainty remains about whether the measures will bring production jobs back.

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"The number of American productions that are filmed in Ireland tells you all you need to know. All these empty sound stages. It's a shame," Garlin said.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the industry has lost 49,000 jobs since 2022, following the COVID-19 pandemic and a slowdown in streaming production.

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