Gina Carano has filed a lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm.
The former MMA fighter-turned-actor has starred in blockbuster films like Deadpool and Fast & Furious 6, and was later hired for the role of Cara Dune in Disney+ series, The Mandalorian.
Carano was in the first two series of the critically acclaimed show starring Pedro Pascal, but her time as Cara Dune came to an abrupt end in 2021.
Lucasfilm and Disney ultimately decided to cut ties with the actor in the wake of her tweets where she mocked the use of face masks and promoted false claims of voter fraud in the aftermath of the 2020 US Presidential Election.
She also compared being a Republican to being a Jew in the Holocaust.
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Her controversial post read: "Because history is edited, 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."
A spokesperson went on to label Carano's tweets as 'abhorrent and unacceptable' when explaining why they'd decided to fire her from The Mandalorian.
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Now Carano is suing both Disney and Lucasfilm with the help of multibillionaire, Elon Musk.
In the suit filed this week, the 41-year-old claims that she was 'harassed and defamed' for having rightwing opinion.
Carano's complaint further claims that she was fired 'because she dared voice her own opinions... and stood up to the online bully mob who demanded her compliance with their extreme progressive ideology'.
She is asking for $75,000 in damages and for the court to force Lucasfilm to recast her.
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According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor was paid $25,000 for each episode of The Mandalorian.
In the wake of the suit being filed, X’s head of business operations, Joe Benarroch, said in a statement that they're 'proud' to fund Carano's campaign.
"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," he said.
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Elsewhere, Carano has expressed her thanks to Musk for his help.
"I would like to express my deepest gratitude & thank you to @ElonMusk & @X for giving me an opportunity to bring my case to light," she said as part of a lengthy statement shared to social media.
"As for me, I would love to pick up where I left off & continue my journey of creating & participating in story-telling, which is my utmost passion & everything I worked so hard for.
"It has been difficult to move forward with the lies & labels stuck on me, backed & encouraged by the most powerful entertainment company in the world. I am grateful someone has come to my defense in such a powerful way & look forward to clearing my name."
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UNILAD has contacted Disney and Lucasfilm for comment.
Topics: News, Film and TV, Disney, Elon Musk, The Mandalorian, Politics, Celebrity
Niamh Shackleton