IRISH film and TV studios making millions from US companies shooting here are terrified Donald Trump will target them like the pharmaceutical industry.
Industry publication Broadcast International this week revealed the US President’s “protectionist ideology” could see American media companies pressured to relocate production back home.
Fox Entertainment is shelling out more than €30million to shoot shows in Ireland — with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay filming the next two seasons of Next Level Chef in Ashford Studios in Wicklow.
Superstars Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas were spotted in Dublin city centre in December while filming their latest movie, Power Ballad.
Actor Jamie Foxx was staying in Wicklow last month while filming season eight of his Fox musical quiz show, Beat Shazam.
And workers in a cafe in Enniskerry were stunned when Jason Statham popped in while filming his latest film in March — with Jane Seymour shooting a new Hallmark Christmas movie in the Wicklow town earlier this month.
But Irish studio bosses fear a backlash from Trump after Hollywood star Rob Lowe let the cat out of the bag in a recent podcast.
He revealed US TV channel Fox save money by filming his game show, The Floor, in Dublin rather that at their own lot in Los Angeles.
Rob said: “It’s cheaper to bring 100 American people to Ireland than to walk across the lot at Fox, past the sound stages, and do it there.”
The West Wing actor complained that US studios don’t offer “tax credits” to cut the filming bill.
The 61-year-old said: “All those other places are offering 40 per cent. And then on top of that, there’s other stuff that they do.
“That’s not even talking about union stuff. It’s just tax, the economics of it all, so it’s criminal what California and LA have let happen, it’s criminal.
‘GAME OVER’
“Everybody should be fired.”
Rob made the comments on a podcast on March 13 before President Trump launched his global tariff war.
However, the clip is now flying on social media.
An industry source told us: “All it would take is for Donald Trump to hear Rob Lowe talking about what US companies are doing here — and bang! It’s game over.
“So there are a lot of nervous people in the Irish film and TV business hoping this clip will go away.”
But Larry Bass, the CEO of Irish TV makers ShinAwil, says it will be hard for Trump to bring production back home given how high costs are there.
And the Dancing With The Stars boss denied Lowe’s claims about telly tax breaks.
He told The Irish Sun: “There are no tax breaks for the type of quiz Rob Lowe is filming in Ireland.
IN THE CROSSHAIRS
“American companies are making US TV shows here in Ireland because it’s so expensive to make them in America.
“So unless Donald Trump can take on the unions in America, and reduce costs, he won’t be able to get production back to America.
“But it’s not just Ireland, US companies make their TV shows
in Australia, Central America and South Africa. US TV has been offshoring for many years, because the costs of making TV in the US are so high.”
He added: “I’ve no doubt that every industry in Ireland will be in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump’s plans for the future.
“But how do you legislate for Donald Trump? The guy makes up his own rules when he wakes up and then the world has to pick up the pieces.”
However, Larry believes Irish studio bosses could have an ally in Trump’s close pal, TV producer Mark Burnett, who was in the White House on St Patrick’s Day with fighter Conor McGregor.
The Emmy winner, who made Trump famous on the US version of The Apprentice, is married to Derry-born actress Roma Downey and was named as President Trump’s special envoy to the UK.
Larry said: “Mark Burnett knows the world of television business backwards and the economics behind this business.
‘ALREADY CAUSING REAL DAMAGE’
“And he would be able to explain to Donald that it is the high costs of making programmes in America that is sending US companies to make shows over here in Ireland, and the high-skilled professionals we have in this country.”
However, this week Broadcast magazine revealed how Trump’s “protectionist ideology” could see US media companies pressured to relocate production back home or be tempted back by a stronger domestic federal tax credit.
Jeremy Roberts, head of the film and TV team at London law firm Sheridans, said the President is “already causing real damage”.
He said: “Trump’s protectionist ideology may extend beyond tariffs.
He might, for instance, insist that the UK or the EU drop local content quotas for channels and streamers as part of any trade deal.
“Additionally, he could pressure US media companies to relocate their production back to the US, or incentivise them to do so by introducing a federal tax credit for US productions.
“The situation is so dynamic, and Trump so unpredictable, that it is almost impossible to forecast what will happen next.”
American media companies Warner Bros Discovery, Roku, Fox Corp and Disney saw more than €14billion wiped off their valuations last week before making minor recoveries after a three-month pause for Trump’s tariff plans.
In 2023, then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar attended an event in Dublin at which Fox announced a plan to spend more than €30million on Irish telly production.
It has already made more than 60 hours of primetime programming here, creating over 300 jobs with series including Beat Shazam, Name That Tune and Don’t Forget the Lyrics.
