The pair further explained their decision in the caption, which read in part, \"We have decided to move production of our upcoming film 'Emancipation' from the State of Georgia due to the newly enacted voting restrictions passed by the state legislature and signed by the Governor.\"

The movie, based on a true story, follows an enslaved man named Peter -- played by Smith -- who emancipated himself from a Southern plantation and joined the Union Army.

\"Emancipation\" was scheduled to start shooting in June.

Democrats, voting rights activists, companies including Delta, Coca-Cola and more, have been highly critical of Georgia's newly enacted voting law, maintaining it imposes restrictions that target Black voters specifically.

Read more about the claims attached to Georgia's election law here.

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