Words are interesting because they can be used to build and heal, but also can be used to harm and destroy. Many of the responsibilities of human beings go in tandem with the ideas of preserving our species’ good nature and overall wellbeing. At times, some misfires lead people to spread hurtful things, such as misinformed facts or claims that are entirely unwarranted.
In the case of former Mandalorian star Gina Carano, this could not be a more accurate assessment as she was fired from the show by Disney and Lucasfilm. Disney decided to pull the plug on their relationship with MMA fighter turned actor Gina Carano, after her posted tweets that incited hate and misguided information.
There had been months of her tweeting out things that would mock the overall protocol for safety when it came to COVID-19, but it was not until she had compared the criticism she was receiving for voicing her opinion to being a Jewish person during World War II that Disney decided she was not a good fit for their image and brand.
Most of the backlash stems from the insensitive nature of the tweets and Carano’s inhibition to view these tweets as anything other than her First Amendment right. Though it is technically legal to voice one’s opinion on issues, that does not mean they are absolved of any form of criticism or backlash. Also, if the actor’s words and actions seem to be bad for the company’s image and brand, it should not come to much surprise that they would let her go.
The pressure was quickly surmounting. With the hashtag #FireGinaCarano infiltrating social media, it would be only a matter of time before Disney+ and Lucasfilm needed to say something about Carano’s decision to take her thoughts public. Her tweets and subsequent responses to others posted on Twitter had incited a certain level of outrage and anger in the public as many people called for her removal.
However, after these hashtags were trending, she decided to double down on her convictions instead of empathizing with the people she offended. It looked as though Lucasfilm had only one option — to move forward and condemn one of their stars’ actions. They fired her and since then, unfollowed her on all social media platforms. Lucasfilm has not stated whether her character (Cara Dune) will be appearing in future Star Wars with a recast.
Carano, however, has since found employment elsewhere. The day after she was let go by Disney, she shared that she got a picture deal with Ben Shapiro’s company Daily Wire. On Sunday, an interview with Shapiro will show Carano discussing the firing incident for the very first time. Carano, who refuses to go down “without a fight”, alleges in the interview that she was bullied by the companies for her beliefs.
“I’m not the only one that’s ever been bullied by this company,” Carano said. “I was prepared at any point to be let go because I’ve seen this happen to so many people. I’ve seen the looks on their faces. I’ve seen the bullying that takes place, and so when this started, they point their guns at you, and you know it’s only a matter of time.”
She also stated on her Twitter, “This is just the beginning… Welcome to the rebellion,” as a way to tell the public that she is not going anywhere and will have a career despite what happened with Lucasfilm.
Overall, what seems to be the most significant takeaway from this situation is that it is often more ethically sound to follow the adage, “If you have nothing nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.” Maybe Carano’s termination in the Mandalorian would not have occurred, and her time at Lucasfilm could have continued if there was a sense of understanding in her tweets — or maybe not.
