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Disney has been delivered a crushing blow in its lawsuit battle with former The Mandalorian star Gina Carano.
The actor, 41, is suing the studio, alongside Lucasfilm, for discrimination and wrongful termination after the former MMA fighter was dropped from the Star Wars spin-off in February 2021 for sharing a social media post in which she appeared to compare the Republican experience in the US to that of Jewish people during the Holocaust.
Carano filed a complaint in California federal court, with help from X/Twitter owner Elon Musk, accusing the entertainment companies of damaging her reputation and discriminating her based on her gender. As part of the lawsuit, Carano questioned why the studios did not give similar treatment to her former co-star Pedro Pascal over posts he shared on topical subjects.
While Disney attempted to have the lawsuit thrown out, stating that Carano’s decision “to publicly trivialise the Holocaust by comparing criticism of political conservatives to the annihilation of millions of Jewish people was the final straw”, a judge has denied the studio’s appeal, and the trial will move ahead in September 2025.
US District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett said:“Having considered the parties’ submissions, the relevant law, and the record in this case, the Court DENIES the Motion.”
Carano said in response to the decision: “I am obviously very pleased with the opportunity to keep moving forward with the judicial process and into discovery. While I wish this was not necessary as it is not my desire to be in this battle in court, I will not shrink away from it because it is hard or uncomfortable.”
The Independent has contacted Disney for additional comment.
In a section of the lawsuit titled “Social Media Posts from Carano’s Co-Stars”, Carano questioned Disney and Lucasfilm’s lack of response to posts shared on X/Twitter by her former co-star Pascal, with whom she previously claimed to reach an agreement with over their opposing beliefs.
The lawsuit reads: “Carano respects the rights of her co-stars to express their views on social media, even if they differ from her own, and she remains personally fond of each of them. However, Defendants’ treatment of Carano stands in stark contrast to Defendants’ embrace of her male co- stars and other male employees, so the following examples are provided to demonstrate the discriminatory treatment Carano endured at the hands of Defendants.”
Carano’s lawyers then cited posts in which Pascal supported Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ+ rights, stating: “On June 27, 2020, Pascal posted two Disney-owned Muppet characters, Bert and Ernie, as activists waving a transgender and LGBTQ+ pride flag and promoting ‘Black Lives Matter’ and ‘Defund the Police’.”
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Another post shared in the lawsuit shows Pascal comparing Donald Trump to Hitler.
It reads: “Upon information and belief, Pascal was not disciplined, required to review documentaries on any of these topics or speak to individuals with contrary points of view, or pressured to apologise for any of his posts. His employment was not terminated, and Defendants made no public statements about his social media posts, much less refer to them as ‘abhorrent’.”
Carano is seeking a court order that would force Lucasfilm to recast her and at least $75,000 (£57,500), plus punitive damages.
