Disney Fires Gina Carano Because of Course It Does

Television

The Empire has finally come for Cara Dune. In news that probably doesn’t surprise anyone, Disney and Lucasfilm have fired Gina Carano, the former mixed martial arts star and current actress who appeared on The Mandalorian. Most fans assume Carano was set to be one of the main characters in Rangers of the New Republic, the developing spinoff of the hit Disney+ show. To add insult to injury, United Talent Agency also dropped her as a client. The excuse given for the firing most assume has been in the works since she first went public with her right-of-center political opinions is a post on her Instagram story (which she shared, as opposed to writing herself) which commented on the dangers of the political divisions currently found in the country, comparing them with the atmosphere in Nazi Germany. The post appears to be gone, but you can see it below:

Lucasfilm released an official statement on the matter: “Gina Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm and there are no plans for her to be in the future. Nevertheless, her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable.”

Let’s be real: nobody believes that Gina Carano is an anti-Semite. Nothing in that post is anti-Semitic; quite the opposite, actually. It also does not equate being a Jewish person during the Holocaust with being a conservative in America right now. However, it does say that one particular circumstance that led to the Holocaust, that made the Holocaust possible, is taking shape here. And does anyone argue that? Whether or not you think it will lead to an atrocity like that (and I don’t, although I doubt it will lead anywhere good), can you find anyone who doesn’t believe that the country is deeply divided when it comes to politics and that a lot of animosity has grown as a result of that? It also isn’t a stretch to believe that politicians are using those divisions for their own purposes – again, not mass extermination, but certainly to further their goals. Look at the people ratting out their neighbors for not wearing masks, or the hatred a Trump hat garners someone. It isn’t an apples to apples comparison, but the seeds are there, and it’s better to deal with them early.

The political double standard is also in play. Gina Carano is not the first American to draw comparisons with something going on in the modern era and the actions of the Nazis. I remember when George W. Bush was regularly called Hitler and a Nazi, and folks older than I am tell me about the same thing happening to Republican Presidents going back to at least Ronald Reagan. Carano’s co-star, Pedro Pascal, likened those with whom he disagrees to the Third Reich. But that’s the real issue: Pascal said it about what Disney and Lucasfilm consider the correct target. Carano is being let go for her political beliefs, and it’s clear as day. The Hollywood Reporter has a source who told them as much. So, who’s the real anti-Semite – someone who doesn’t want to see the Holocaust happen again, or someone who would use it as a matter of convenience?

How do you feel about Disney firing Gina Carano? Do you find her shared post anti-Semitic or otherwise offensive? How long will it be before Dana White puts her in the Octagon? Let us know in the comments and stick around Geeks + Gamers for more entertainment news!