Fired Mandalorian actor Gina Carano has questioned posts shared by her former co-star Pedro Pascal in a new lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm.
The actor, 41, is suing the studios for discrimination and wrongful termination after the former MMA fighter was dropped from the Star Wars spin-off in February 2021 after 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.
On Tuesday (6 February), Carano, who played special forces warrior character Cara Dune, filed a lawsuit against her firing, citing the damaging of her reputation and discrimination based on her gender.
In a section titled “Social Media Posts from Carano’s Co-Stars”, the lawsuit at one stage 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.”
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 apologize 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, plus punitive damages.
“In addition to terminating her, Defendants refused to hire her for roles already promised, including but not limited to Season 3 of The Mandalorian, the new series Rangers of the New Republic, and planned future Stars Wars full length feature films (which have recently been announced) – all because of her political beliefs and in disparate treatment from her male co-workers,” the complaint asserts.
The Independent has contacted Disney, Lucasfilm, Pascal and Hamill for comment.
