Elon Musk helps “Mandalorian” actress sue Disney over LGBTQ+-related firing

Elon Musk backs Gina Carano’s lawsuit against Disney

The Actress Alleges Discrimination After Being Fired from “The Mandalorian”

Gina Carano, famed for her role in the Star Wars TV series “The Mandalorian,” has initiated legal proceedings against Disney and Lucasfilm, claiming discrimination and wrongful termination. This legal action follows her dismissal in early 2021, linked to social media posts mocking transgender identity and disseminating right-wing misinformation, supported financially by Elon Musk, a billionaire known for his transphobic stances.

A Controversial Social Media Trajectory

In the hit series, Carano played a military veteran turned mercenary. Lucasfilm, a subsidiary of Disney, terminated her contract after uncovering her Twitter posts (now X), which criticized transgender identity, disparaged the Black Lives Matter movement, propagated election conspiracy theories, mocked COVID-19 mask mandates, and likened the persecution of Jews to the treatment of Republican Party members. Carano responded by filing a lawsuit on Tuesday in a California federal court against Disney and Lucasfilm, seeking an order for her reinstatement and compensation of $75,000 plus punitive damages. She accuses them of harassment and defamation for “refusing to align with their viewpoints on issues concerning Black Lives Matter, preferred pronouns, and debunked claims of election interference,” as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

Reactions and Consequences of the Termination

Following her controversial posts, Disney allegedly requested Carano to meet with a representative from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and to issue a public apology, which she refused, according to her lawsuit. Her continued refusal led to her being fired from “The Mandalorian” and the planned spin-off “Rangers of the New Republic”. She also claims that this termination resulted in her being dropped by her talent agency, UTA.

Elon Musk is backing Carano’s legal challenge, in line with his promise to fund legal actions for X users facing discrimination from their employers due to their activity on the platform.

An Uncertain Outcome

The outcome of Carano’s lawsuit remains uncertain, given her status as an “at-will” employee, a category for which legal victories against terminations related to social media posts violating company policies are rare, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

This case marks the second major assault on Disney by prominent right-wing figures, following Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ revocation of the company’s self-governing district in retaliation for its opposition to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

While Musk promotes X as a haven for “free speech,” he has also used his ownership of the platform to amplify right-wing and antisemitic viewpoints.