Disney and Lucasfilm have settled a lawsuit from Gina Carano, who accused the studios of discrimination and wrongful termination over her firing from The Mandalorian.
In a statement, a Lucasfilm spokesperson said, “With this lawsuit concluded, we look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future.”
“We have reached an agreement with Gina Carano to resolve the issues in her pending lawsuit against the companies,” it added. “Ms. Carano was always well respected by her directors, co-stars, and staff, and she worked hard to perfect her craft while treating her colleagues with kindness and respect.”
Carano said in a statement that the deal is the “best outcome for all parties involved” and “my desires remain in the arts.”
Terms of the settlement, announced on Thursday, weren’t disclosed.
In a lawsuit filed last year, Carano alleged she was fired for voicing right-wing opinions on social media and sought a court order that would force Lucasfilm to recast her. Elon Musk, making good on a promise to foot the legal bill for users who claim they have been discriminated against due to their activity on his platform, helped fund the suit through X.
“I want to extend my deepest most heartfelt gratitude to Elon Musk, a man I’ve never met, who did this Good Samaritan deed for me,” Carano said.
The legal action came after Lucasfilm announced in 2021 that Carano would not return to the hit series after sharing a post in which she said, “most people today don’t realize that to get to the point where Nazi soldiers could easily round up thousands of Jews, the government first made their own neighbors hate them simply for being Jews. How is that any different from hating someone for their political views?”
It was the latest in a long string of posts in which the former MMA fighter drew the ire of social media users for positions seen as right-wing on hot-button issues. Carano, who was dropped by UTA following the controversy and didn’t respond to a request for comment on the settlement, previously mocked government mandates to wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic and falsely suggested that voter fraud occurred during the 2020 presidential election.
According to the complaint, Disney and Lucasfilm harassed and defamed Carano, who was paid $25,000 per episode as a guest actor and later negotiated a one-time $5,000 bonus, for refusing to conform with their viewpoints on issues relating to Black Lives Matter, preferred pronouns and disproven claims of election interference. While she was allegedly fired for her cultural and religious beliefs, Carano said that the entertainment giant turned a blind eye to her male co-stars, who allegedly made offensive and denigrating posts directed toward Republicans. She pointed to Pedro Pascal’s 2017 post comparing former President Donald Trump to Hitler.
Carano was terminated from The Mandalorian — as well as other titles in the Star Wars universe, including Rangers of the New Republic — shortly after declining to meet with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and 45 employees who identify as LGBTQ+, the lawsuit said.
Last year, the court declined to dismiss the lawsuit, rebuffing arguments from Disney that it has the right not to associate with talent who imbue the Star Wars series with views that could turn fans away from the show.
Potential witnesses in the case included Pedro Pascal, Jon Favreau, Bear Grylls, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and Lynne Hale, the engineer of the publicity campaign behind Star Wars.
Read Carano’s full statement below:
I have come to an agreement with Disney/Lucasfilm which I believe is the best outcome for all parties involved. I hope this brings some healing to the force.
I want to extend my deepest most heartfelt gratitude to Elon Musk, a man I’ve never met, who did this Good Samaritan deed for me in funding my lawsuit.
Thank you Mr. Musk and X for backing my case and asking for nothing in return.
To my lawyers at Schaerr|Jaffe who walked me through this unknown territory, thank you for your wisdom and guidance.
I am humbled and grateful to God for His love and grace in this outcome.
I’d like to thank you all for your unrelenting support throughout my life and career, you’ve been the heartbeat that has kept my story alive. I hope to make you proud.
I am excited to flip the page and move onto the next chapter. My desires remain in the arts, which is where I hope you will join me.
Yes, I’m smiling.
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