The #FireGinaCarano hashtag began picking up steam last week, but has continued to build momentum after Disney+ dropped the “Chapter 12” episode of “The Mandalorian” on Friday, in which Carano stars. But at the same time, #StandWithGinaCarano has also begun trending on Twitter in response from fans who feel the plea to cast Carano out of the show is another example of censorship, and cancel culture gone too far.
“It’s amazing how the #FireGinaCarano folks, don’t even see that their cancelation campaigns only verify many of the things she’s fighting against,” one fan tweeted. “Bullies. I #StandWithGinaCarano and I’m no conservative.”
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“Now I have to watch @themandalorian with the knowledge that Gina Carano is a Trumpy nut, a transphobe, and an anti masker?” another wrote. “Can ya just #FireGinaCarano, Disney?”
Other controversy has stoked the social media petition for Disney to replace Carano. The actress and former MMA star also announced on Twitter earlier in November that she’d be migrating her social media presence over to the new Parler app, a conservative-bent free speech tool that many have flocked to in the aftermath of the election. Parler is funded in part by right-wing investor Rebekah Mercer, and is now home to figures like Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes, Fox host Sean Hannity, Senator Ted Cruz, as well as members of the Trump family.
Carano, however, hasn’t abandoned Twitter entirely, as she tweeted over the weekend after the drop of the episode “The Siege” to thank her co-star Carl Weathers, who plays Greef Karga and also directed the episode. Carano is set to appear as Cara Dune, a former Rebel shock trooper turned mercenary and Mandalorian ally, throughout the rest of the ongoing second season.
As Vanity Fair points out, Carano tangled with fans over the summer accusing her of being silent during the surge of the Black Lives Matter movement, and highlighted tweets Carano liked that disparaged the protests.
Still, plenty of “Mandalorian” faithful remain in support of Carano throughout a show that has seen other controversies. Rosario Dawson, who it’s believed will make her “Mandalorian” debut this season as Ahsoka Tano, has weathered anti-trans discrimination claims as well, though later said such accusations were “baseless.” The accuser later withdrew the majority of the claims voluntarily.
Disney has yet to respond to the backlash, though the “Star Wars” spinoff universe has seen similar uproar in the past. Back in 2018, actress Rachel Butera, who voiced Leia Organa in the animated “Star Wars Resistance,” was recast after mocking the voice of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford on social media during the Brett Kavanaugh hearings.
— Gina Carano 🕯 (@ginacarano) November 15, 2020
— Gina Carano 🕯 (@ginacarano) November 15, 2020
— Gina Carano 🕯 (@ginacarano) November 14, 2020
— Gina Carano 🕯 (@ginacarano) November 5, 2020 Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
