Nithya Raman voiced support for President Donald Trump’s proposed federal film tax credit during a podcast interview this week.
The Los Angeles mayoral candidate, a city councilmember, told Breaking Points she would back the nationwide incentive for film and television production. “I would be very supportive of it,” Raman said. “I’m going to take any kinds of support for this industry that we can get from any level of government. Absolutely.”
Raman noted that Hollywood must compete not only with other states but with other countries, as studios have increasingly looked beyond California due to high production costs. Her comments come as California’s creative economy has shed roughly 114,000 jobs between 2022 and 2025, a 14% decline, according to a recent study by Otis College of Art and Design in partnership with Westwood Economics and Planning Consultants. Film, television and sound employment fell nearly 30%, while traditional media jobs dropped by almost 34%.
The socialist candidate has made Hollywood’s revival a centerpiece of her platform. She has pledged to establish a LA Film Office within the mayor’s office to persuade studios to pursue local production, and has called for faster permitting and lower fees for indie-sized projects. On her website, Raman said she would advocate “for the most expansive possible film tax credits at the state and federal level.”
Former mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, who met with Trump to push for a 25% federal film tax credit, blasted Raman for not doing enough to help the industry. “I got the film tax credit to the President and worked directly with Senator (Adam) Schiff to move it forward. Why isn’t Nithya doing that?” Pratt said.
“I have zero political power, and I got more done in 3 weeks than she has in 3 years. If I can do it, what’s her excuse? She legit doesn’t wanna work,” the former reality TV star added.
Pratt, who lost in the primary, has continued to insert himself into the race, positioning himself as an unlikely Hollywood advocate despite his lack of political power. His meeting with Trump came after his own mayoral bid ended, yet he has claimed credit for getting the federal tax credit idea to the president and working with Schiff to advance it.
Raman has seen a recent surge in momentum after a poll showed her leading incumbent Mayor Karen Bass 39% to 28%, though Bass’s team dismissed the survey as an outlier. The race has narrowed to a contest between Bass and Raman following Pratt’s elimination.
The two remaining candidates have traded jabs over Hollywood’s decline throughout the campaign. Raman recently met with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s inner circle at the former Republican governor’s Santa Monica office, where she addressed a packed room of Hollywood, business and civic leaders.
The California Post reached out to the Raman campaign for a response to Pratt’s criticism.
Hollywood’s struggles have dominated the mayoral race as the industry faces unprecedented challenges from runaway production and post-pandemic contraction. Both Raman and Bass have sought to position themselves as the candidate who can reverse the bleeding, though Raman’s willingness to embrace a Trump-backed federal proposal sets her apart from typical Democratic positioning in the heavily blue city.
Raman’s alignment with Trump on the tax credit issue, even as she maintains her socialist label, reflects the unusual political dynamics of a race where saving jobs has transcended partisan boundaries. Her meeting with Schwarzenegger’s circle last week further signaled her willingness to work across ideological lines on behalf of the entertainment industry.
Raman’s campaign continues as she pushes toward a potential runoff with Bass.