Summary
Gina Carano is suing Disney over her abrupt termination fromThe Mandalorian, and it looks as though the lawsuit is headed to court after all - or, potentially, for a settlement. Hired to play the part of Alderaanian shock trooper Cara Dune inThe Mandalorian, Gina Carano was set to star in a spinoff Disney+ TV show and potentially in future movies as well. She was abruptly fired by Disney in February 2021, after a number of controversial posts on social media - andCarano has now filed a lawsuit against Disney, funded by Elon Musk.
Disney’s attempt to get the lawsuit thrown out has been dismissed by California-based Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett (perDeadline). In her official statement, the judge concluded there is no evidence Disney employ actors “for the purpose of promoting the ‘values of respect,’ ‘decency,’ ‘integrity,’ or ‘inclusion.'” Furthermore,she points to an email chain that seemed to indicate Disney intended to fire Carano to distract from problems with then-CEO Bob Chapek’s management.
Why Gina Carano Left The Mandalorian After Season 2
Lucasfilm announces Gina Carano won’t appear as Cara Dune in The Mandalorian season 3. Here are the social media posts that got her fired.
What’s Next For Carano’s Disney Lawsuit?
Gina Carano is claiming wrongful discharge and sex discrimination. She is seeking at least $75,000 in punitive damages, and is also hoping for a court order forcing Lucasfilm to recast her;Carano insists she’s still willing to work inStar Wars. It is, of course, far too soon to assess the outcome of the case; all Judge Garnett has established is that there is indeed a case worthy of going to court. Meanwhile,it is entirely possible Disney will seek to settle outside of court.
One thing’s for sure, though; Carano’s case is already making Hollywood history. Judge Garnett’s initial decision seems like a shot across the bows to companies like Disney, warning them that actors are contractually hired to play a role and not to represent values. That was arguably Elon Musk’s whole goal when he offered to fund lawsuits by people who believed they had been fired for exercising their freedom of speech rights.
No date has yet been set, so this story is sure to run for quite some time. In the meantime,The Mandalorian & Grogu- the first movie spinning out ofThe Mandalorianand its tie-ins - is expected to begin production soon, with rumors some scenes have already been shot featuring Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin. The judge’s decision is surely not the kind of PR Disney would like at this crucial stage of pre-production.
