Nobody expected to see this.
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman is siding with President Donald Trump on one major issue affecting Southern California: the effort to bring film and television production back to Hollywood.
Raman, a Los Angeles City Council member, said she supports the idea of federal tax incentives designed to encourage studios to produce movies and television shows in the United States.
The agreement between two politicians from very different parts of the political spectrum comes as California’s entertainment industry struggles with declining employment, production moving elsewhere and growing competition from other states and countries.
Nithya Raman Supports Trump’s Hollywood Tax Credit Push
During an appearance on the Breaking Points podcast, Raman was asked about Trump’s proposal for Congress to approve a nationwide tax incentive for American film and television production.
“I would be very supportive of it,” Raman said.
She added that she would welcome assistance for the entertainment industry from federal, state or local government.
Raman argued that Hollywood must become more competitive as studios increasingly consider filming outside California.
That competition is coming not only from other states but from overseas production centers offering lower costs and generous financial incentives.
California Faces Growing Competition For Film Production
For decades, Hollywood was practically synonymous with American film and television.
That advantage is no longer guaranteed.
States including Georgia and New York have built large production industries of their own, while countries around the world have introduced incentives aimed at attracting major movies and television programs.
California’s high production expenses have added to concerns that additional projects and jobs could leave the state.
For Los Angeles leaders, that makes the future of Hollywood more than an entertainment-industry problem. It is also an economic issue affecting thousands of workers and businesses.
California Has Lost About 114,000 Creative Jobs
Recent employment figures illustrate the scale of the challenge.
California lost roughly 114,000 creative-economy jobs from late 2022 through 2025, according to an April 2026 report from Otis College of Art and Design.
That represented a decline of approximately 14%.
The hardest-hit industries included some of the businesses most closely associated with California.
Employment in the state’s film, television and sound sector fell 29.6%, while traditional-media employment dropped 33.8%, according to the report.
The losses have increased pressure on elected officials to find ways to keep entertainment jobs and production in California.
Trump Calls For More Film Production In America
Trump has pushed for federal measures intended to make producing movies and television shows in the United States more attractive.
The broader debate centers on whether federal incentives could help American production locations compete against foreign countries offering studios their own subsidies and tax benefits.
For California, the stakes are particularly significant because entertainment has long been one of the state’s signature industries.
Raman’s willingness to support the idea shows that Hollywood’s economic problems can produce agreement across traditional partisan lines.
Spencer Pratt Criticizes Raman’s Record
Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate and reality television personality Spencer Pratt has also advocated for a federal film-production tax credit.
Pratt has said he discussed efforts to strengthen Hollywood with Trump and has promoted the idea of a federal incentive to encourage domestic production.
After Raman voiced support for federal assistance, Pratt criticized her record and questioned why she had not done more previously.
“I have zero political power, and I got more done in 3 weeks than she has in 3 years,” Pratt said.
That criticism adds another dimension to an increasingly prominent debate in the Los Angeles mayoral contest: which policies can actually reverse Hollywood’s job losses?
Hollywood Becomes Major Issue In Los Angeles Mayor’s Race
Raman is challenging incumbent Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and the problems facing Hollywood have become an important issue in the campaign.
Raman has proposed creating an L.A. Film Office within the mayor’s office to focus on keeping existing productions in the city and attracting new ones.
She has also advocated faster permitting for productions and reduced fees for smaller independent projects.
Her campaign says she would push for expansive film tax incentives at both the California and federal levels.
Raman Leads Bass In Recent Poll
Raman has also gained attention following a September 2026 poll of the Los Angeles mayoral contest.
The UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times, found 39% of likely voters supporting Raman and 28% supporting Bass.
However, a substantial 33% remained undecided, meaning roughly one-third of the likely electorate had yet to choose between the candidates when the survey was conducted.
Bass’s campaign has argued that the survey should be viewed alongside other polling rather than treated as definitive.
The November 3 election will determine who leads America’s second-largest city through a period of major economic challenges.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Meets With Raman
Raman has also been meeting with influential figures from California’s business and entertainment communities.
Former Republican California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently hosted Raman for a discussion involving Hollywood, business and civic leaders.
The meeting was noteworthy because Schwarzenegger remains one of California’s most prominent Republican political figures, while Raman is identified with the progressive wing of Los Angeles politics.
It also demonstrates how concerns about the entertainment industry’s future are reaching beyond normal political divisions.
Hollywood’s Troubles Reach Beyond Movie Studios
The decline in production has consequences extending well beyond actors, directors and major studios.
Film and television projects support numerous other occupations and businesses, including construction crews, electricians, drivers, caterers, costume workers, equipment suppliers and local restaurants.
When productions move elsewhere, spending connected with those projects can move with them.
That economic ripple effect helps explain why restoring film production has become such a prominent issue for Los Angeles officials.
Can Tax Credits Bring Hollywood Jobs Back?
The central policy question is whether larger tax incentives can reverse California’s entertainment decline.
Supporters of production incentives argue that California must remain financially competitive with other states and countries if it wants studios to continue filming locally.
Critics of large tax-credit programs have questioned whether taxpayers receive enough economic benefit in return for the incentives.
California has already expanded efforts to protect its entertainment sector, while national policymakers are debating what role Washington should play.
The latest Otis College figures show why the discussion has become urgent: California’s creative economy has experienced substantial employment losses since 2022.
Trump And Raman Find Rare Common Ground
Trump and Raman differ considerably on many political issues, but the economic problems facing Hollywood have created an unusual point of agreement.
Trump has supported policies intended to encourage American film production, while Raman says she is prepared to accept help from Washington if it keeps entertainment jobs and investment in Los Angeles.
For voters, workers and businesses dependent on Hollywood, the debate now centers on results: whether federal tax incentives, California programs, faster permitting and lower production costs can make Los Angeles competitive again.
With tens of thousands of creative-economy jobs disappearing in recent years, the future of Hollywood is no longer simply a debate about movies.
It has become a major question about jobs, economic competitiveness and the future of one of California’s most recognizable industries.
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