It seems as though Gina Carano is taking aim at the House of Mouse. The former The Mandalorian star is suing Disney and Lucasfilm with the help of Elon Musk for discrimination and wrongful termination.
Gina Carano made her splash in the world of Star Wars with The Mandalorian, playing fan-favorite character Cara Dune. This role came to an abrupt end in 2021 when the actress shared several controversial posts about COVID-19 vaccines and Nazi Germany, leading to Disney and Lucasfilm releasing a statement saying they do not intend to employ her in the future.
Three years out from the incident, Gina Carano has announced her intent to sue Disney and Lucasfilm for the firing, claiming that it violated wrongful termination laws due to her being let go for “voicing right-wing opinions on social media.” The lawsuit also seeks to have a court order requiring Lucasfilm to recast her, as well as $75,000 in punitive damages.
How does Elon Musk factor into Gina Carano’s Star Wars lawsuit?
Due to many of Gina Carano’s controversial statements being made on Twitter/X, Elon Musk has opted to fund the lawsuit in line with his former promise to support those who were “discriminated against” based on their activities on his social media platform. A statement about the lawsuit was released by the company’s head of business operations, Joe Benarroch, who confirmed their intent to support the actress.
“As a sign of X Corp’s commitment to free speech, we’re proud to provide financial support for Gina Carano’s lawsuit, empowering her to seek vindication of her free speech rights on X and the ability to work without bullying, harassment, or discrimination.”
The efficacy of this lawsuit is currently unclear. Prior to Gina Carano’s termination, Disney, Lucasfilm, and The Mandalorian Jon Favreau gave her the opportunity to retract her statements to avoid being let go from the Star Wars series. It’s also possible this lawsuit serves as a testing ground for Elon Musk’s ability to challenge discrimination suits in court to see how viable it is to defend other Twitter/X users based on this high-profile case.