Disney and Lucasfilm reach an agreement with Gina Carano following her dismissal from 'The Mandalorian' series.
Actress Gina Carano has reached a settlement with Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company, ending a nearly 18-month dispute that began when she was dropped from "The Mandalorian" in 2021. The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in California last year, alleged that Carano was wrongfully terminated due to her conservative political views expressed on social media.
The settlement was announced in August 2025, and while the details were not publicly disclosed, Lucasfilm praised Carano’s professionalism and expressed hope for future collaboration with her. In a statement, they acknowledged her talent and on-set respect, leaving open the possibility of future projects together, though specifics remain unknown.
The lawsuit referenced a post by Carano likening the treatment of American conservatives to the treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany. This post was part of a pattern of right-wing political expressions that Disney/Lucasfilm stated "denigrated people based on their cultural and religious identities" and was the final incident leading to her dismissal.
Carano maintained her firing was discriminatory, noting that other cast members had made controversial political posts without repercussions. Supported by tech billionaire Elon Musk, she filed a lawsuit seeking $75,000 in damages and reinstatement, which eventually ended in the settlement.
Since leaving Disney, Carano has acted in and produced content for conservative media outlets, continuing her career outside of the Star Wars franchise. The case was scheduled to go to trial in Los Angeles in February of next year, but has now been dismissed with prejudice.
The settlement comes amidst increasing tensions in entertainment companies around social media conduct, political expression, and corporate culture in highly visible properties like Star Wars. Carano expressed her gratitude to her supporters and stated her desire to move onto the next chapter in her career, focusing on the arts.
In "The Mandalorian", Carano played the recurring character Cara Dune, which launched in 2019 and ran for three seasons. A feature film starring Pedro Pascal and Sigourney Weaver, "The Mandalorian and Grogu", is set for release next summer.
Throughout the dispute, Lucasfilm maintained that Carano was always well respected by her colleagues and they look forward to working together in the future. Carano thanked Elon Musk for helping fund the lawsuit, but no details were provided about the financial aspects of the settlement. The specific terms of the agreement were not made available.
Carano's settlement with Lucasfilm and Disney, announced in August 2025, marks a closure to her nearly 18-month dispute amidst the rising tensions in the entertainment industry concerning social media conduct and political expression. Post-Disney, Carano has continued her career in pop-culture, associating with conservative media outlets and distancing herself from the Star Wars franchise. Meanwhile, Carano and celebrities like Elon Musk debate the issue of discriminatory dismissals based on political views in entertainment's culture.
