Gina Carano of The Mandalorian has said that she will not be apologizing for her comments expressing anti-mask, anti-transgender, and conspiratorial views. Carano has previously appeared in action films like Deadpool, and currently plays the character Cara Dune on Disney+’s The Mandalorian. In response to her comments, fans have been urging Disney to cut ties with Carano. Disney has not made any response to these requests as of yet.
In November of 2020, Carano posted two tweets that elicited a negative reaction from Star Wars fans. In one tweet, Carano speaks out against voter fraud in the 2020 U.S. Presidential election, echoing the scaremongering rhetoric the Trump administration themselves used to call into question the election results. In another, Carano ridicules the act of wearing masks to protect others from COVID-19. Carano has also been criticized by members of the trans community for mocking the practice of disclosing personal pronouns online, a practice that makes most transgender people feel welcomed and protected in online spaces.
In a discussion with Drunk 3PO, Carano indicated that she would not be apologizing for any of these controversial remarks. In her response, Carano expressed that she wasn’t sure why people were so upset about what she had to say. She also responded that she would not be leaving Twitter any time soon and would instead continue to use the platform in the same way she has been. Carano's full quote can be read below:
“I’m going to stick around and if my presence bothers you, OK, but also a lot of people are not bothered by my Twitter presence or my social media presence. So I focus more on those people. I bring the fire out in people. I’m not sure why.”
Carano’s strong anti-mask sentiment is markedly different from the attitudes of other celebrities, as is her apparent support of the Trump administration. In fact, her Deadpool co-star Ryan Reynolds has done explicit work to raise awareness about masks and encourage others to wear them. Her Mandalorian co-star Pedro Pascal has also spoken out publicly against the Trump administration and currently has his own personal pronouns displayed on Twitter to show his support for transgender people. Carano’s opinions seem to not be shared by her immediate co-workers.
Not only that, but some believe Carano’s statements could have had the power to do actionable harm. The recent attempted coup in Washington, D.C. illustrates how online comments can encourage violent behavior. And by discouraging her followers from wearing masks, Carano could potentially put them at risk of contracting a life-threatening disease. Even her jokes about the trans community could be seen as promoting negative stereotypes about a minority group. Despite all of this, Carano has not apologized and is still part of the cast of The Mandalorian.
Source: Drunk 3PO