A lawsuit between actress Gina Carano and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) and Lucasfilm has reached a settlement. The settlement prevents the case from going to trial and highlights the potential impact that billionaire Elon Musk may have had on a case involving free speech on social media.
What Happened: Carano, who claimed she was fired from "The Mandalorian" due to posts made on the social media platform X, took to the platform to share her thoughts on the settlement.
"I have come to an agreement with Disney/Lucasfilm, which I believe is the best outcome for all parties involved. I hope this brings some healing to the force. I want to extend my deepest most heartfelt gratitude to Elon Musk, a man I've never met, who did this Good Samaritan deed for me in funding my lawsuit. Thank you Mr. Musk and @X for backing my case and asking for nothing in return," Carano tweeted.
Carano also thanked he lawyer team and God for the outcome.
"I am excited to flip the page and move onto the next chapter. My desires remain in the arts, which is where I hope you will join me."
A Lucasfilm spokesperson confirmed the settlement Thursday with Variety.
"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," the spokesperson said. "With this lawsuit concluded, we look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future."
Carano starred in seven episodes of the Star Wars series "The Mandalorian" as Cara Dune before being fired by Disney.
The firing came after Carano shared social media posts that included comparing being a Republican to being Jewish during the Holocaust.
Disney and Lucasfilm did not recast Dune; instead, they wrote the character out of the series.
Carano has appeared in several smaller-budget movies since the firing.
Terms of the settlement were not made public. A 2024 lawsuit filed by Carano, alleging wrongful termination and discrimination, sought at least $75,000 in punitive damages and compelled Lucasfilm to cast Carano again.
A judge previously rejected Disney's attempt to have the case thrown out.
Why It's Important: The settlement prevents a potential high-profile court case from occurring, with the judge refusing to dismiss the case, which would likely have led to a full-blown trial.
The case gained increased attention when it was announced that Musk, the world's richest person, would fund the lawsuit. Musk said in 2023 that he would help pay legal bills for anyone who believed they were fired as a result of posts they made on X.
Carano made several potentially controversial posts on X and other social media posts, including objections to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, 2020 election integrity, a lack of support for the LGBTQ+ community, and the comparison to the treatment of Conservatives being the same as Jewish people during the Holocaust.
Disney previously called the comments "abhorrent and unacceptable" at the time of Carano's dismissal and said they had no plans to hire the actress and former mixed martial artist back.
Carano sued Disney under a California law that prohibits retaliation against employees for their political activities. The actress claimed sexual discrimination as political commentary from male Star Wars stars, Pedro Pascal and Mark Hamill, who were not treated in the same way.
Although there was no technical winner in the case, with a settlement between the two parties, this could mark a potential victory for Musk in his crusade for free speech on social media platforms.
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Photo of Gina Carano: Shutterstock
