Gina Carano, the former star of The Mandalorian, has filed a lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm, alleging that she was wrongfully terminated for her political views. The lawsuit, which is funded by Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX and Tesla, seeks damages and reinstatement on the show.
Carano, who played the rebel fighter Cara Dune in the first two seasons of the popular Star Wars spin-off, was fired in February 2021 after she posted controversial messages on social media, comparing the treatment of Republicans in the US to the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany, mocking mask-wearing during the Covid-19 pandemic, and spreading conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.
Disney and Lucasfilm, the production companies behind The Mandalorian, said in a statement at the time that her posts were “abhorrent and unacceptable”, and that she was no longer employed by them. She was also dropped by her talent agency, UTA, and lost several endorsement deals.
However, the actress has maintained that she did nothing wrong, and that she was a victim of cancel culture and political correctness. She said that she was expressing her personal opinions, and that she had the right to free speech. She also accused Disney and Lucasfilm of being hypocritical and biased, and of allowing other actors on the show to voice their liberal views without consequences.
In Gina Carano’s lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in the Los Angeles Superior Court, she claims that Disney and Lucasfilm breached her contract, violated her civil rights, and defamed her reputation. She alleges that the companies discriminated against her based on her sex and political affiliation, and that they created a hostile work environment for her.
Gina Carano is seeking at least $75,000 in compensatory damages, as well as punitive damages, attorney fees, and a court order that would reinstate her on The Mandalorian. She is also asking for a jury trial.
