Jon Voight plans to present Trump with ideas for boosting Hollywood production
Oscar-winning actor Jon Voight has a plan to save the movies.
In the coming weeks, Voight and his manager, Steven Paul, intend to present President Donald Trump with a suite of ideas to ramp up American film and television production, Paul confirmed.
first reported by Bloomberg.
Voight and Paul's suggestions for Trump could include incentives for infrastructure investments, job training and alterations to the U.S. tax code. The two men also have ideas for initiatives that could help the U.S. reclaim businesses that went overseas.
In recent years, the American film industry has reeled from a series of economic blows. Covid and two labor strikes upended the content pipeline. Physical production has declined in California amid budget cuts and more generous tax incentives elsewhere.
It was not immediately clear whether Voight and Paul have an appointment on Trump's calendar. NBC News has reached out to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt for comment.
Before taking office in January, Trump named Voight as a " special ambassador to Hollywood" alongside fellow actors Mel Gibson and Sylvester Stallone. In a Truth Social post announcing the decision, Trump characterized Hollywood as "a great but very troubled place."
"They will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACK — BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!," Trump said in the Jan. 16 post.
"These three very talented people will be my eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest," Trump added. "It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood!"
Gibson's spokesman said he was not aware of a specific proposal the actor plans to share with the White House. Stallone's representative did not immediately respond to an email inquiry.
In a statement to Variety in January, Gibson said he learned about his special ambassadorship through Trump's social media post. "Nevertheless," he said, "I heed the call. My duty as a citizen is to give any help and insight I can."
He added: "Any chance the position comes with an Ambassador's residence?"
Voight is known for his conservative political views. He is one of Trump's most high-profile celebrity backers, once calling him"the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln."
Voight won the Academy Award for best actor for the Vietnam war drama "Coming Home" (1978) and starred in the best picture winner "Midnight Cowboy" (1969). He is also known for his roles in films such as "Deliverance," "Mission: Impossible" and "Ali."
Paul is a producer, actor and talent manager who founded the independent production company Crystal Sky Pictures.
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