Gina Carano's exit from The Mandalorian sparked debate among fans about whether Disney and Lucasfilm had made the correct decision. Many fans tried to justify that an actress speaking out about an issue not related to the show or the franchise is not entirely wrong and, therefore, her firing is not acceptable. Meanwhile, in the eyes of the company that funds the show, her blunt expression of offensive social media posts is not tolerable. Despite not being part of the Star Wars show anymore, Carano came to the defense of one of her previous co-stars, Katy O'Brian, who's currently receiving hate from the fandom.
One of Carano's detractors posted an image of O'Brian to celebrate how the show "kicked a muscular transphobe off the show and then brought in a muscular lesbian." The post gathered various reactions, with some users criticizing O'Brian. It's gotten so bad that Carano felt the need to intervene, sharing the picture on Twitter alongside a statement condemning any toxicity directed at the "sweetheart" that she knows the actress to be.
“I’ve been tagged in this a bunch so I wanted to say one thing. please do not engage in hateful comments towards the actress in this pic,” wrote Carano. “I met her on season 2 of Mando I believe and she was a sweetheart. Send her nothing but love. The person who posted this is sad and got the ugly attention she desired.. but that is not this actress' fault.”
She continued, "It hurts my heart to think that someone is so excited about a job to be met with unjust hate because of ridiculous drama, rumors, and heresy. I experienced that and it is cruel, I don’t want anyone else to feel that. Move with care on here."
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In February 2021, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Carano won’t be returning to The Mandalorian. The decision was made after the actress published an image that says being a Republican now is as dangerous as being Jewish during the Holocaust. “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.” wrote Lucasfilm.
Carano's Cara Dune character was significantly involved in the show's first two seasons, leaving a bit of a hole coming into season 3. As the show recently premiered its third season, Cara Dune has not been written off and continues to exist as part of the show’s narrative, without showing her on screen. Additionally, some characters have been given more screen time, such as O'Brian, who joined the series in the second season as Elia Kane. Elia was initially a supporting character in season 2, but season 3 thrusts her into the spotlight with a more important role.
The Mandalorian is streaming on Disney+.
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