Elon Musk is funding fired Mandalorian star Gina Carano’s lawsuit against Disney

Actor Gina Carano, who was fired from her role in The Mandalorian after posting right-wing and allegedly anti-trans comments on social media is suing Disney – with the help of the owner of X/Twitter, Elon Musk.

Carano, who played military veteran Cara Dune in the Star Wars spin-off series, was removed in 2021 after Lucasfilm, a production company owned by Disney, discovered she’d criticised both the trans community and the Black Lives Matter movement.

She also spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 US presidential election, mocked COVID-19 mask policies and compared the treatment of Republicans to the persecution of Jewish people in Nazi Germany.

Previously, she had updated the pronouns in her Twitter bio to “beep/bop/boop,” but wrote in a since-deleted post: “I’m not against trans lives at all. They need to find less abusive representation”, later adding that it was “zero to do with mocking trans people” and about “exposing the bullying mentality of the mob that has taken over the voices of many genuine causes”.

Now, Carano has filed a complaint against both Disney and Lucasfilm, claiming wrongful dismissal, and sexual discrimination, and is asking a federal court in California to order both organisations to reinstate her and pay damages of $75,000 (approximately £59,380).

She accused them of defaming her for “refusing to conform with their viewpoints on issues relating to Black Lives Matter, preferred pronouns and disproven claims of election interference,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

X owner Elon Musk is bankrolling Carano’s legal dispute, having pledged to fund legal action for any users who faced action from employers over their activity on the social media platform.

“My words were consistently twisted to demonise and dehumanise me as an alt-right wing extremist,” Carano claimed in a statement. “I am honoured 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.”

Musk himself has previously been accused of being anti-trans, notably tweeting in 2020 that “pronouns suck,” but last August, his former partner, the Canadian musician Grimes, said the billionaire does not “hate” trans people and that his issues stem from “concerns about fertility”.

Musk also reportedly revealed to his biographer, Walter Isaacson, that his relationship with his eldest daughter Jenna, who is trans, had reached breaking point after she cut all communication with him.

According to Isaacson, Musk was “generally sanguine” when he discovered Jenna – whose full name is Vivian Jenna Wilson – had transitioned, but that her decision to cut ties with him had “pained” him.

“She went beyond socialism to being a full communist and thinking that anyone rich is evil,” Musk told his biographer. “She doesn’t want to spend time with me.”

Disney and LucasFilm have yet to make a statement on the legal proceedings.

• Nov 29 2023

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