In a recent development, actress Gina Carano has requested that Pedro Pascal, her Mandalorian co-star, testify in her lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm, which alleges discrimination and wrongful termination. Additionally, director Jon Favreau, British adventurer Bear Grylls, former Disney CEO Bob Chapek, and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy have also been named as potential witnesses. Could Gina Carano’s lawsuit against Disney alter the way The House of Mouse does business in future?
Gina Carano’s Lawsuit Against Disney
From The Book of Boba Fett‘s disappointing plot to The Acolyte rewriting some of Star Wars‘ most sacred lore, Disney’s Star Wars hasn’t been immune to controversies. Even in its early days, when we were still in the honeymoon phase with The Mandalorian, legal issues caused a divide between fans who found themselves amid an ongoing power struggle.
Gina Carano, who played Cara Dune in The Mandalorian, was fired by Disney after allegedly crossing the line with posts she shared on her social media accounts. The publications, which likened conservatives to the Jewish population in Nazi Germany, were seen as antisemitic by religious watchdogs, prompting Lucasfilm to cut ties with the actress.
Not only was Cara Dune erased from The Mandalorian, Carano herself was essentially blacklisted from all Disney projects. That includes one episode of the show Running Wild with Bear Grylls that was temporarily removed from Disney+. Even after restoring the episode, Disney erased Carano’s image from any promotional material.
This February, billionaire and X owner Elon Musk announced he would finance Carano’s legal fees against Disney for wrongful termination. For a while, legal experts and Star Wars fans who were against Carano’s views believed the lawsuit stood on shaky legal ground. Imagine their shock when Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett declared she would not dismiss Carano’s case.
Now, Carano’s legal cause moves forward against all odds. Though the future is unclear at this stage, Gina Carano’s lawsuit could set a precedent for actors – and for Disney’s “moral clauses” in future contracts.
A First Amendment Issue
From the beginning, Carano made it clear she was suing Disney in the name of free speech. The actress insists her comments were taken out of context, and Musk agrees Disney’s firing attempted against Carano’s First Amendment rights.
If Carano manages to settle the score with the House of Mouse on her firing, it would be a significant moment for the industry as a whole. After all, insiders report that “[Disney was] looking for a reason to fire her for two months,” clearly bothered by Carano’s outspoken conservative views.
A Matter Of Morals?
A victory for Gina Carano could spell a shakeup for Disney’s moral code. The company would have to establish a concise set of guidelines for new actors. After all, Carano is far from being the only controversial talent employed by Disney. A few years ago, the company fired James Gunn for “inappropriate” social media posts, not to mention the whole Johnny Depp and Pirates of the Caribbean situation.
It’s virtually impossible for Disney to rehire Gina Carano this late into The Mandalorian‘s lifespan. The most likely outcome is that Carano and Disney will reach a deal before the matter reaches court. Still, going against Disney, especially with such a complex case, is no easy task.
If Gina Carano wins her lawsuit against Disney – and that’s one big if – it could mean that other actors who felt they were unjustly terminated could raise their voices and let their discontent be known. It might be too late for Depp and others, but, at least, Disney has to establish a set of clear guidelines dictating the sort of behaviour they will and won’t tolerate from their actors.
What are your thoughts on Gina Carano’s lawsuit against Disney?
The Mandalorian |
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The travels of a lone bounty hunter in the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the New Republic. |
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| Creator: Jon Favreau |
| Cast: Pedro Pascal, Chris Bartlett, Katee Sackhoff, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Gina Carano, Taika Waititi, Temuera Morrison |
| Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy |
| Number of Seasons: 3 |
| Streaming Service: Disney+ |
