Who could forget the Mandalorian craze that helped many Americans get through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic? You or someone you know has probably seen the Star Wars spin-off. And many years after the series’ peak popularity, lead actor Pedro Pascal is more of a household name than ever.
But the force wasn't with all of the show's stars. Actor Gina Carano has been fighting a lawsuit over her termination from the show.
From Octagon to Outer Rim
Gina Carano is considered the first female star in MMA cage fighting to successfully transition to a Hollywood career. Carano’s big break in television came when she was cast on the Disney+ series. She played Cara Dune, a former Rebel Alliance shock trooper turned mercenary who becomes an ally to Din Djarin (Pascal) and Grogu (Baby Yoda).
Carano played the role for two highly acclaimed seasons, quickly becoming one of the most popular characters in the Star Wars universe. Disney even featured her prominently in promotional materials for the launch of Disney+, highlighting her as a key part of the new Star Wars era.
Outside of acting, Carano has received several awards, including the ActionFest Film Festival’s Chuck Norris Award for Best Female Action Star and the Artemis Action Warrior Award. She’s also been recognized as one of Yahoo!’s “Top Ten Influential Women” and received the Rising Star award at the Ischia Film Festival.
Things weren’t perfect, of course. After Season 1, Carano’s agent tried to negotiate a pay raise for her. Disney refused, offering only a $5,000 bonus and keeping her at a minimum of $25,000 per episode. But despite Disney’s stance, several co-stars spoke highly of her, she says. According to Carano, Mandalorian actor Giancarlo Esposito called her his favorite colleague, while actor Emily Swallow described Carano as “very giving” and “gracious.”
At Disney’s Investor Day in December 2020, Lucasfilm (now a Disney subsidiary) announced a new Mandalorian spinoff series called Rangers of the New Republic. While never officially confirmed, it was widely reported and speculated that the show was being developed with Cara Dune as the lead, which would have been a major step forward in her acting career.
Ranger Dreams, Republic Schemes
Jon Favreau, creator and executive producer of The Mandalorian, was allegedly behind Rangers and the plan to cast Carano. The actress claims that Favreau was the one who delivered the big news about her future in the Star Wars universe, even before the December announcement. She claims that in October or November 2020, Favreau told her, “your life is about to change.”
Being a series regular on a Disney+ show would come with a multi-year contract and much higher pay. Carano claims that she would have received “a contract for approximately six years at a base compensation beginning at $150,000 to $250,000 per episode.”
Favreau also allegedly told Carano that she was set to be part of “a series of new Star Wars movies based on the various Star Wars Disney+ series to be released in theaters in the near future,” including an upcoming movie based on The Mandalorian.”
A Social Media Stormtrooper
But before any of these projects could move forward, Carano’s relationship with Disney and Lucasfilm unraveled. Actually, it had probably been unraveling for some time. And like many things these days, social media was at the heart of it.
Carano had been active on Twitter (now X) since 2009 and Instagram since 2012, using both platforms to share her personal views and connect with fans. Things began to heat up in the summer of 2020, when Carano faced increasing harassment online for not publicly supporting certain social and political causes.
Carano says she was pressured by social media users to adopt slogans like “Black Lives Matter” and add pronouns to her profile. When she declined, she was called “racist” and a “transphobic bitch.” She responded by explaining her reasons for not complying, saying she had “no hate for anyone” and that bullying needed to stop.
After persistent harassment, Carano added “boop/bop/beep” (a playful reference to droid noises from Star Wars) to her Twitter profile instead of pronouns. Some praised her for standing up to bullies, but others accused her of mocking transgender people. Carano clarified that it was meant as a lighthearted response, not an insult, and even noted that some transgender fans supported her.
The Mandalorian was at its peak during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — and Carano found herself at the center of a social media firestorm over it. She claims she was attacked online for questioning the strict lockdowns on businesses and churches, especially when protests were allowed to continue. On September 5, 2020, she posted about these inconsistencies, which led to more harassment and criticism from social media users.
Carano’s posts reflected skepticism toward government-imposed restrictions and mandates, particularly those that she felt unfairly targeted certain groups or activities while allowing others. She expressed concerns about personal freedoms and the impact of lockdowns on people’s lives.
Doomed by Disney?
According to Carano, the studios did not just sit back and watch the drama play out. Instead, she argued Disney actively responded to the backlash and, in many ways, escalated the situation.
When Carano began facing online harassment for her refusal to publicly support certain causes, Disney didn’t offer her public support. Instead, she claims they “made it known they did not agree with or approve of Carano’s political views on the Covid lockdowns and vaccine mandates.” Throughout this period, Disney allegedly monitored social media hashtags like #FireGinaCarano and prepared internal reports about the controversy.
Internally, Disney subjected Carano to repeated phone calls and meetings, demanding explanations for her posts and pushing her to adopt positions she didn’t agree with. They required her to meet with representatives from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and asked her to watch documentaries about transgender issues. Even after positive feedback from these meetings, Disney kept pressing for a public apology that Carano felt would be dishonest.
The pressure didn’t stop there. Carano claims Disney wanted her to participate in a Zoom call with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and 45 LGBTQ+ employees, a move she saw as humiliating and excessive. When she declined but offered a smaller, face-to-face meeting instead, Disney refused.
Cut from the Cosmic Crew
The breaking point between the two sides came in February 2021. Carano retweeted a post comparing the treatment of conservatives during the pandemic to Nazi Germany's treatment of Jews. This led to a social media campaign asking for Disney to fire her. Lucasfilm agreed, announcing through the media that Carano was terminated from her role as Cara Dune. Their public statement read: “Gina Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm and there are no plans for her to be in the future. Nevertheless, her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable.”
Carano wasn’t told directly by Disney or Lucasfilm. She found out about her firing on social media. The fallout was immediate: she lost out on millions in potential earnings from Rangers of the New Republic, season three of The Mandalorian, and planned Star Wars movies. Her agent and entertainment attorney dropped her as a client without explanation. Other job opportunities dried up overnight.
A New Hope?
In February 2024, Carano brought a lawsuit in federal court in California against the companies involved in producing The Mandalorian and other Star Wars projects (Disney, Lucasfilm, and a company called Huckleberry Industries).
Gina Carano’s lawsuit claimed she was wrongfully fired in retaliation for expressing her personal political views on social media. She also alleges sex discrimination, arguing that she was treated more harshly than male co-stars who posted controversial opinions but were not disciplined or terminated.
Late last week, Carano settled the suit with her former employers. The terms of the settlement weren’t disclosed, but both sides released statements signaling a desire to move forward. Lucasfilm praised Carano’s professionalism and hinted at possible future collaborations with the actor. Carano echoed that optimism, calling the deal “the best outcome for all parties involved” and sharing, “I am excited to flip the page and move onto the next chapter.”
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