Disney agreed to settle wrongful termination and discrimination claims filed in February 2024 by Gina Carano, court documents filed Thursday show.
“The Walt Disney Company and Lucasfilm are pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement with Gina Carano to resolve the issues in her pending lawsuit against the companies,” a Lucasfilm spokesperson said in a statement to Variety. “With this lawsuit concluded, we look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future.”
Carano, an actor who played Rebel ranger Cara Dune on Disney’s “The Mandalorian” television series, alleged she was fired from her role on the show in 2021 over conservative posts shared on social media sites, including X. Carano alleged the company terminated her in response to public pressure despite “looking the other way” when it came to male colleagues expressing similar views.
The case gained prominence when Elon Musk said he would back the lawsuit, following on a promise made several months earlier to fund the legal bills for those treated unfairly by their employer for expressing themselves on X.
The lawsuit brought attention to a unique California labor code that prohibits employers from preventing or controlling employees’ political activity. A 2020 analysis of the provision by law firm Seyfarth warned California employers to “tread carefully” when taking action against an employee based on political activity, noting that the term continues to develop and “encompasses quite a bit of conduct.”
Court documents did not outline the terms of the settlement between Disney and Carano, but do show the parties filed for a joint stipulation for dismissal with prejudice in federal court in California.
“I have come to an agreement with Disney/Lucasfilm @disney @Lucasfilm which I believe is the best outcome for all parties involved,” Carano said in a post on X. “I hope this brings some healing to the force.”
