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THE MANDALORIAN Star Can Finally Move Forward With Disney Lawsuit
By Movieguide® Contributor
Remember when Disney fired THE MANDALORIAN’s Gina Carano because of “a string of controversial messages posted on her social media accounts“? The actress just got a massive update in the legal battle to clear her name.
“In the initial lawsuit filed against Disney, Carano argued that she was bullied on social media and Disney/Lucasfilm harassed her over her views regarding Black Lives Matter, her problems with gender pronouns, and for rallying against mandates issued during the COVID-19 pandemic,” MMA Fighting reported. “Carano also claimed that Disney took no action against her male co-stars, who she argued also made controversial statements on social media but faced no reprisal as a result.”
Disney attempted to have the entire lawsuit dismissed “on the grounds that Disney has a constitutional right not to associate its artistic expression with Carano’s speech, such that the First Amendment provides a complete defense to Carano’s claims.”
A piece of the motion to dismiss reads:
Disney had enough. The same day Carano grotesquely trivialized the Holocaust as comparable to sharp political disagreements, Lucasfilm announced that “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.”
However, Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett denied Disney’s motion to dismiss, “writing that it had ‘failed to set forth an “impenetrable defense” under the First Amendment,'” Fox News reported.
The actress can now “move forward with a lawsuit against her old employer for wrongful termination over her political views.”
“I am moved to tears,” Carano posted on Instagram. “After a brutal 3 1/2 years, I am being given the opportunity to move forward in the court of law before the judge and my peers to clear my name. I am so grateful for this opportunity. What happened to me was unacceptable, absurd and abusive, among other things. It should not have happened to me, and it should not happen to anyone else moving forward. Let it stop here.
“I quite literally fought to get to where I got to in my career through intense ups and downs, and I’ll keep up that fight to continue doing what I love,” she continued. “I appreciate all of you who stood by me and defended me, and I am so sorry that similar situations have happened to some of you. I want you to know that I see you and I stand with you.”
Movieguide® previously reported on Carano’s legal battle:
Carano is resolved to fight back. So, last month, she filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against one of the largest companies in the world.
“Raising the profile of that case is the fact that Carano’s legal bills are being footed by X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk — making good on an Aug. 5 post stating, ‘If you were unfairly treated by your employer due to posting or liking something on this platform, we will fund your legal bill. No limit,’” The Hollywood Reporter said…
“Disney has until April 9 to respond to the legal petition. So far, the company has issued only a single word regarding the lawsuit — though that word came from the top. When a CNBC journalist asked CEO Bob Iger if he had any comment on the matter, Iger responded, ‘None,” The Hollywood Reporter said.
Carano’s mind isn’t on the money that would come from a lawsuit win.
“I know this might sound odd,” she said. “But I’m not thinking about that. I’m thinking about clearing my name. I’m thinking about finally being healthier and having this monkey off my back and telling my story and just getting on with my life. Finally.”
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