Gina Carano could drag Disney to court after all for 'The Mandalorian' firing as huge lawsuit update drops

Gina Carano could take US media giant Disney to court over their long-running dispute regarding her firing from 'The Mandalorian.' A significant update to the legal battle has now come to the fore, suggesting that Carano's case against Disney could go to trial.

'Conviction' amassed a 7-1 record in MMA before transitioning to Hollywood and succeeding as an actress in television and movie realms.

The American martial artist earned praise for her portrayal of 'Cara Dune' in 'The Mandalorian' series, a part of the famed 'Star Wars' franchise owned by Disney.

Gina Carano faced criticism in 2020 and the ensuing years for some of her socio-political assertions. She was accused of making transphobic, racist, and conspiratorial statements. Besides, in 2021, Carano put forth a polarizing tweet, in which he appeared to compare the Conservatives in modern-day US to the persecuted Jewish people under the Nazi regime.

'Lucasfilm,' the Disney-owned production house that helmed 'The Mandalorian,' terminated Carano from it. They cited Carano's aforementioned tweet, her comments about the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines, and her support for the hypothesis of voter fraud in the 2020 US presidential elections as reasons behind her firing.

Intriguingly, in Aug. 2023, South Africa-born and US-based billionaire Elon Musk took to his platform X and encouraged people who've faced workplace discrimination due to their tweets to speak up.

Moreover, in Feb. 2024, Carano sued 'Lucasfilm' and Disney for wrongful termination and discrimination. She thanked Musk for funding her lawsuit. Musk himself has long been at odds with Disney.

Gina Carano has appeared in other projects since. However, she claims to have faced 'cancellation' and blacklisting by many in Hollywood due to her personal beliefs.

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Gina Carano lawsuit update — MMA legend could fight Disney in court

In 2021, Lucasfilm suggested that they won't hire Gina Carano for future projects. Besides, Disney appealed to dismiss Carano's lawsuit. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter this month (July 2024), Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett refused to dismiss the suit. Ergo, Carano and Disney can either arrive at a settlement or their case could go to trial.

Apparently, Disney cited the Supreme Court's decision in the 'Boy Scouts of America vs. Dale' case, in which the court had sided with the organization who'd fired an openly gay person.

The firing violated New Jersey's anti-discrimination laws. Regardless, the court indicated that the First Amendment shielded the organization's decision to hire people who they felt appropriately represented their values.

In the Gina Carano-Disney context, Judge Garnett disagreed with Disney's argument. Garnett declared that, unlike organizations like the Scouts or the Jaycees, Disney is not a non-profit, members-only organization. The judge noted that Disney is a for-profit organization that employs actors and other staff to make movies and TV series.

The judge signaled that Disney hadn't substantiated the claim that they were employing actors/staff to promote their values/views. An excerpt from the judgment regarding it reads as follows:

"Accordingly, Defendants' invocation of the supposedly detrimental effects of Plaintiff's 'mere presence' as one of the Defendants' employees lacks constitutional import."

Furthermore, Gina Carano took to X and expressed her gratitude toward Elon Musk and everyone else who supported her over the past few years. The 42-year-old added that she's looking forward to seeking justice in the court of law.