Back in 2021, Gina Carano was fired from Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company after sharing tweets that garnered backlash. The actress, who played Cara Dune on the Star Wars show The Mandalorian, subsequently called out her former employers for what she believed to be a double standard. Carano eventually took legal action in February 2024 by filing suit against Disney for alleged wrongful termination and sex discrimination. As the suit continues to play out, Carano has notched a victory.
As part of her filing, the Deadpool alum has been in pursuit of specific information from Disney. While she hasn’t received everything she’s been asking for, a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California is now requiring the House of Mouse to hand over documents. As the actress’ attorney, Gene Schaerr, shared on X, the entertainment conglomerate must submit details regarding how other members of the Star Wars franchise have been compensated across the IP’s various shows.
The partial approval of this “motion to compel” encompasses payment records for The Mandalorian’s lead actor, Pedro Pascal, Ahsoka’s Rosario Dawson and even the cast of the upcoming Mandalorian & Grogu film. Said information is to reportedly be submitted in the form of “verified spreadsheets” as Gene Schaerr explained. Schaerr went on to say that while he and his client didn’t receive everything they’ve been after, this development marks a step in the right direction for their case:
While the court’s order did not give Gina access to everything she was looking for, it made clear we can seek further evidence on actor compensation if our expert concludes such evidence is still necessary after we review what Disney produces in response to this order. The court also required Disney to move quickly, giving them only 20 days to comply with the order. The order shows the court won’t let Disney bury relevant information in this high-stakes battle by playing procedural games.
Gina Carano’s dismissal from Lucasfilm was preceded by instances in which she took to social media to question COVID-19 protocols and make claims of voter fraud in the 2020 U.S. Presidential election. Those aside, she truly drew backlash after sharing a post that seemingly compared being a conservative in the current political landscape to the oppression present during the Holocaust. It was after that post that Carano was fired, and she later argued that her co-star, Pedro Pascal did not receive similar treatment for his own political posts.
Elon Musk eventually offered to fund the lawsuit for the former Star Wars actress, who’s reportedly seeking $75,000 worth of punitive damages. Disney eventually responded to the suit in April 2024, arguing that it had a constitutional right to dissociate its own artistic message from Carano's outspoken 'political beliefs.'” By June, the studio attempted to have the case dismissed, though a U.S. District judge ultimately prevented that from happening.
All the while, Gina Carano has been candid about her lawsuit being analyzed by the public, calling it “embarrassing.” She also said that in regard to trying to find work, she feels as though she’s “sitting her in the desert.” It was also alleged around May 2024 that Carano actually wanted to rejoin Disney, yet she shot down that notion while blasting the media for its coverage.
While this latest legal update does mark a significant victory for the MMA fighter-turned-actress, it’s hard to say whether she’ll ultimately win her case. Of course, we’ll also have to wait and see if The Walt Disney Company does submit those spreadsheets within the specific time period.
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