Actor Gina Carano has filed a lawsuit against Lucasfilm and its parent company, The Walt Disney Co., over her firing from the popular Disney+ series 'The Mandalorian.' Carano alleges that she was wrongfully terminated for expressing right-wing views on social media.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in California with assistance from X (formerly known as Twitter), claims that Carano's firing was a result of a post she made comparing the treatment of American conservatives to the treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany. The lawsuit opens by stating, 'A short time ago in a galaxy not so far away, Defendants made it clear that only one orthodoxy in thought, speech, or action was acceptable in their empire, and that those who dared to question or failed to fully comply would not be tolerated.'
Carano further alleges that she was fired because she voiced her own opinions against an 'online bully mob' that demanded her compliance with their extreme progressive ideology. She asserts that Disney and Lucasfilm sought to silence her for expressing her beliefs.
Both Disney and Lucasfilm have yet to respond to the lawsuit, and their representatives have not commented on the matter. At the time of Carano's firing, Lucasfilm released a statement condemning her social media posts, stating that they were 'abhorrent and unacceptable' for denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities.
In her lawsuit, Carano is seeking damages to be determined at trial and is also requesting a court order to be recast on the show. She claims that Lucasfilm's actions have damaged her future work prospects by making false statements about her.
Carano, a former mixed martial artist, portrayed the character Cara Dune in 'The Mandalorian.' This character played a recurring role in the popular bounty hunter series. In the past, Carano has faced criticism for her social media posts that mocked mask-wearing amid the pandemic and made false allegations of voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election.
The lawsuit highlights an instance where Carano listed 'beep/bop/boop' in her social media bio, which she claims was a playful reference to R2-D2 from 'Star Wars' and not intended to mock trans people. However, she alleges that Lucasfilm harassed her over this issue.
According to Carano, she participated in Zoom meetings with LGBTQ+ groups at the request of Lucasfilm, and these meetings had positive outcomes. However, the company demanded a public apology where she admitted to mocking or insulting an entire group of people, which she claims she had never done. She further alleges that she faced harassment from the company over this issue.
Carano announced on social media that X, owned by Elon Musk, had helped fund her lawsuit. Musk shared her post and invited others who felt wronged by Disney to join the lawsuit.
'The Mandalorian,' starring Pedro Pascal, has been a successful series that has aired for three seasons and is now being adapted into a feature film. Additionally, several interconnected series related to the 'Star Wars' universe are also available on Disney+.
As the lawsuit progresses, it remains to be seen how Carano's claims will be addressed and what impact they may have on her career and the future of 'The Mandalorian' series.
