Earlier this week, it was reported that Gina Carano, a former actor on The Mandalorian, is suing Disney and Lucasfilm for discrimination and wrongful termination. Carano played the fan-favorite Cara Dune, Din Djarin's loyal ally, in the first two seasons of the hit series before Lucasfilm fired her for what the company called "abhorrent and unacceptable" social media posts.
Despite finding work with The Daily Wire and appearing in a couple of other projects, Carano still believes she was unfairly terminated from the series. And with the financial backing of X owner Elon Musk, Carano is suing Disney and Lucasfilm for discrimination and wrongful termination, alleging she was fired for voicing right-wing opinions on social media.
Asked by CNBC about the lawsuit in a recent interview, Disney CEO Bob Iger had very little to say about it. "None," was his simple response before moving the conversation along to a more productive topic.
Iger probably does have opinions on the lawsuit but probably can't share them, so his terse response isn't terribly surprising.
Carano is currently seeking a court order that would force Lucasfilm to recast her in the series and pay at least $75,000, plus punitive damages.
“Some of us have been unjustly singled out, harassed, persecuted and had our livelihoods stripped away because we dared to encourage conversation, asked questions, and refused to go along with the mob,” Carano said in a statement alongside the lawsuit filing. “I am honored that my case has been chosen to be supported by the company that has been one of the last glimmers of hope for free speech in the world.”
However, given that Carano was an at-will employee, she will likely face an uphill battle in obtaining damages for terminations over her online posts. Typically, workers in the private sector are not protected from discipline under the First Amendment. In this case, Disney found Carano's posts to be damaging to its brand and opted to move on from the actor.
In addition to backing Carano, Musk has pledged on X to pay for the legal bills for anyone who believes they were "unfairly treated by your employer due to posting or liking something on this platform."
Iger is probably wise not to speak out on the lawsuit, instead focusing on the more exciting and less controversial company news — such as the announcement of Moana 2 and its release later this year, Disney's investment in Epic Games, and more.