Gina Carano’s issues with Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company have been well-documented at this point. The Mandalorian co-star was fired from the entertainment corporations back in 2021 after sharing social media posts that stirred up controversy. By 2024, Carano formally sued her former employers on the grounds of alleged wrongful termination and more. With that lawsuit now settled, it would seem Carano has since had at least one chat with two of her former collaborators, Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau.

How Did Gina Carano’s Post-Lawsuit Talk With The Lucasfilm Bigwigs Go Down?

For context, the lawsuit Carano filed against her ex-bosses was reportedly settled sometime around the late summer of 2025. At that time, it was reported that the actress was pleased with how everything ultimately panned out in the matter. One intriguing detail that was also included in Disney’s statement was the company mentioning that “we look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future.” That tidbit seemed to suggest that Carano could possibly return to Lucasfilm at some point.

As of this writing, there’s been no official announcement regarding whether Gina Carano will actually rejoin the Star Wars franchise and reprise her role as Cara Dune. Interestingly enough, though, she recently revealed on an episode of The Ariel Helwani Show (which was posted to YouTube) that she actually did speak to newly installed Lucasfilm co-CEO Dave Filoni as well as Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau. As for what the vibe was when the trio talked, Carano shared this:

By the sounds of it, the three collaborators had a jovial conversation when they reunited after the legal drama. Carano worked with Favreau and Filoni on the first two seasons of The Mandalorian (and those are still available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.) Before the character of Cara Dune was written out, it was also rumored that Carano might be leading a since-scrapped spinoff, Rangers of the New Republic. So, given this info on the friendly meeting, it’s hard not to wonder if Carano may suit up again with the legal drama done.

Why Was Gina Carano Fired And Why Did She File Suit Against Disney & Co.?

Ahead of her firing, Carano made headlines for several social media posts she shared, which included critiques about COVID-19 pandemic protocols and voter fraud claims regarding the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. Carano also poked fun at pronouns being used by social media users. The star’s dismissal from the Star Wars franchise came after she shared a post that appeared to compare the experience of being a conservative to the Holocaust.

Carano subsequently cited what she believed to be a double standard, since her co-star, Pedro Pascal, didn’t receive disciplinary action for political posts he’d shared. In the lawsuit she filed in 2024, Carano cited both wrongful termination and sex discrimination as her reasons for filing suit. The Deadpool alum sought $75,000 in punitive damages and her suit was also backed by Tesla founder Elon Musk. When responding, Disney argued for its “a constitutional right to dissociate its own artistic message from Carano's outspoken 'political beliefs.”’ The company’s attempt to have the suit dismissed also proved unsuccessful.

Eventually, Carano’s team saw a win in the spring of 2025 when it was ruled that the House of Mouse had to disclose information in regard to how various actors linked to the Star Wars franchise had been paid. News of the lawsuit settlement came months later.

It’s honestly hard to say whether Gina Carano – who’s set to face Rhonda Rousey in an MMA fight this May – will actually play Cara Dune again following the drama she’s experienced in recent years. Carano herself referred to that time as “embarrassing,” and she initially seemed to share mixed feelings about the prospect of playing Dune again. At the very least, though, Carano’s comments on her chat with Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni suggest she doesn’t have bad blood with the duo.

Following another successful fight night with Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul, Netflix is making the jump into MMA with a superfight few saw coming. Ronda Rousey is out of retirement, and what's more, she's taking on MMA fighter and former star of The Mandalorian, Gina Carano. The two recently spoke about their upcoming matchup, and I was shocked to find there's a wholesome story behind it.

Rousey was the one who shared her reasons for setting up the fight, which will stream for those with a Netflix subscription on May 16. While MMA press conferences are often where fighters deliver smack talk and make threats toward each other, Rousey made it clear that this was about giving two women a chance to control the narrative and rewrite their own endings:

While Carano didn't get specific about her health troubles, it was made clear she didn't feel physically at her best the past few years as she went through a lawsuit with Lucasfilm and Disney over her termination from The Mandalorian.

As for Ronda Rousey, while the bulk of her MMA career was marked by dominance, a couple of rough losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes led to her leaving the sport and transitioning to the WWE. Her stint in professional wrestling would also be marked with controversy, with wrestlers speaking out about some of her comments made about the industry.

Gina Carano hasn't fought in MMA since 2009, and retired after suffering a first-round TKO to Cris Cyborg. It's been a while since either has fought, but I think the motivation of both women to go out on top will make this a good bout.

Granted, the bar is high, as this is currently the most-hyped fight on the 2026 TV schedule. I'm not sure any fight this year is going to top it, unless Conor McGregor finally decides to take up Jake Paul on his boxing offer. I think the odds of that happening are zero to nil, but given that stunt fights seem to be all the rage, I'm not completely ruling out at least one other bonkers fight announcement before the year is up.

As for the big picture for Netflix, I do wonder if this MMA event is a one-off or if it intends to compete with the UFC, which is now regularly airing fight nights and pay-per-views for the price of a Paramount+ subscription. As a fan of combat sports in general, I'm all for the option of seeing more fights happening on platforms I already subscribe to and what could be a new era for MMA.

Suffice it to say, I'll be tuned in and ready to watch Ronda Rousey go toe-to-toe with Gina Carano on Netflix on May 16. The reasons for the fight may be unconventional, but honestly, that only adds to my intrigue surrounding this unexpected matchup.

Netflix adds more new content to the 2026 TV schedule and 2026 movie calendar than just about any other platform or TV network. We're now heading into the back half of the year, with a variety of exciting new movies streaming and other options to dig into. The finale film for Heartstopper will finally arrive, along with a fun behind-the-scenes special wrapping Nick and Charlie's relationship. A slew of new movies from around the globe will debut as well, along with stand-up, wrestling, and other fan-pleasing genres.

Note that the premiere times for all projects debuting via Netflix subscription are 3:01 am. ET unless otherwise noted, with certain events taking the primetime approach. New series will be marked by ALL CAPS.

July 2026 Netflix Movie And TV Release Dates

The back half of July is full of big debuts, such as the premiere of Kevin Hart's SNL cast-infused new comedy 72 Hours, the newest season of The Ultimatum and Ransom Canyon, a new TV show from Will Ferrell and more.

August 2026 Netflix Movie And TV Release Dates

September 2026 Netflix Movie And TV Release Dates

October 2026 Netflix Movie And TV Release Dates

November 2026 Netflix Movie And TV Release Dates

December 2026 Netflix Movie And TV Release Dates

Netflix Movies And TV Shows With TBA Premiere Dates

For all the release dates that are already announced and confirmed, plenty of other Netflix originals still don't have locked down premiere dates.

• 3 Body Problem Season 2 (Series)
• The Body (Movie)
• East Of Eden (Series)
• Hollywood Arts (Series)
• How To Get To Heaven From Belfast (Series)
• Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story (Series)
• My Brilliant Career (Movie)
• Pride and Prejudice (Series)
• Trinity (Series)
• Unaccustomed Earth (Movie)
• Untitled Charles III Documentary (Movie)

Keep checking back as the months go on to find even more Netflix premiere dates as they're announced.

Over four years after her firing from The Mandalorian — and the wrongful termination lawsuit against Disney that followed — Gina Carano is headed back to TV. Many are thrilled about this news, and that includes some of Carano’s former co-stars and other celebrities, as people including Meghan McCain and Deadpool actress Brianna Hildebrand took to social media to show their excitement and support for the actress.

Gina Carano will star in the Las Vegas-set Logan Reign, in which her character is a legal assistant by day, vigilante crime fighter by night. She seems excited for the opportunity to return to the small screen, saying she’s “bringing every ounce of who I am as an actress” to the project, and it sounds like others are just as pumped. Carano shared the casting announcement to Instagram, on which Meghan McCain commented:

The former co-host of The View wasn’t the only one excited to see Gina Carano’s next TV role following her portrayal of Cara Dune on the Star Wars series The Mandalorian (available to stream with a Disney+ subscription). Orange Is the New Black’s Taryn Manning also weighed in, writing:

Ming-Na Wen, who recurred on the first two seasons of the Pedro Pascal-led Star Wars series as Fennec Shand, added three applause emojis and a heart, while Gina Carano also received love from fellow Deadpool actress Brianna Hildebrand, who wrote:

There aren’t too many details available about Logan Reign yet, including which network or streaming service will house it, but don't expect it to make its premiere on the 2025 TV schedule. The series is being developed by Straightwire Entertainment Group, in a partnership with Get Out producers Yvette Yates Redick and Shaun Redick.

Gina Carano was fired from Disney and Lucasfilm in 2021 after social media activity that included claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, questioning COVID-19 protocols and comparing the political climate to Nazi Germany. The actress argued in her wrongful termination and discrimination lawsuit that her co-star Pedro Pascal did not face such consequences for his own political posts.

Disney and Lucasfilm settled the lawsuit with Gina Carano last month. Details of the agreement weren’t revealed, but it sounds like the door might be open for the actress to return in an upcoming Star Wars shows and movie, as a Disney spokesperson said in a statement afterward that they “look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future.”

While Gina Carano was able to land a couple of movie roles after her 2021 firing, she has been open about struggling to find work, saying it was like she was “sitting here in a desert” all alone. We’ll have to see if she ever reprises her role as Cara Dune or finds another role within the House of Mouse. Until then, though, we’ll definitely have our eyes on The Mandalorian and Grogu movie that’s set for release on the 2026 movie calendar.

Gina Carano was once one of the biggest new names in the galaxy far, far away, becoming a popular addition to the Star Wars franchise as part of The Mandalorian’s excellent first season(available streaming with a Disney+ subscription). She was written out after the end of Season 2, however, when she was cut from the franchise by Lucasfiilm in response to controversial social media posts. Now, more than four years later and in the wake of her lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm being resolved, she’s coming back to TV.

Gina Carano’s Lawsuit

In 2024, Carano filed a lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm that claimed wrongful termination and discrimination, alleging that she was unfairly cut from The Mandalorian. At the time, she was looking for punitive damages as well as for Lucasfilm to bring her back as Cara Dune, with Elon Musk helping the actress bring her case.

The lawsuit was settled by Disney and Carano back in August of 2025 ahead of what would have been the trial date in September. Details about the settlement weren’t revealed, but a statement from a Disney spokesperson (via Deadline) said that Lucasfilm and the Walt Disney Company were “pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement with Gina Carano to resolve the issues in her pending lawsuit against the companies,” adding “we look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future.”

Only time will tell if that last comment results in Gina Carano reprising her role as Cara Dune, but her new TV role isn’t one that takes her back to the galaxy far, far away.

Gina Carano’s New TV Role

Carano is set to star in a new series set in Las Vegas called Logan Reign, according to Deadline. She’ll play a vigilante crime fighter, who has the comparatively innocuous job of a legal assistant in Vegas during the day. The project is being developed by the film and television production company Straightwire Entertainment Group, in a partnership with Get Out producers Yvette Yates Redick and Shaun Redick as Logan Reign producers.

At the time of writing, there doesn’t seem to be a network or a streaming platform attached to Logan Reign, but Carano told Deadline that she’s been “craving to bring to life” Logan Reign, then went on:

Logan Reign isn’t Carano’s first gig since the end of her time on The Mandalorian, as she starred in the film Western called Terror on the Prairie in 2022 and then My Son Hunter later that year. It remains to be seen what the timeline will be for Logan Reign or where it will end up if it does get off the ground. As for whether Carano will return to a Disney project, Star Wars fans will have to wait and see. She has not been announced as part of any of the thus-far upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows at the time of writing.

After playing Cara Dune for two seasons on the Disney+ subscription-exclusive The Mandalorian, Gina Carano was fired from the Star Wars TV show in 2021 over her controversial social media posts. This led to the actress filing a lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm in February 2024, and today, that lawsuit has come to an end. Upon looking through the details of the settlement, however, there’s an intriguing detail that caught my eye and may pertain to the franchise set in a galaxy far, far away.

While Disney and Carano were set to go to trial over this matter in September, the Mouse House and the actress have reached a settlement in her favor. No specific details about the settlement were revealed, but according to a source who spoke with Deadline, Carano is “happy with how things were dealt with.” You read the full statements from both sides in the outlet’s writeup, with Carano’s including her expressing gratitude to Elon Musk for funding her lawsuit. But in the Disney statement about having “reached an agreement” with Carano, this sentence caught my eye:

This conclusion comes after Gina Carano scored a victory with her lawsuit when a judge required Disney to hand over key documents for the case. She was ousted from The Mandalorian mere months after Season 2 premiered following backlash over comments she made about COVID-19 protocols, making claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, and sharing a post that seemingly compared being a conservative in the United States to being present in the Holocaust. Several months after Carano filed the lawsuit, Disney responded by saying it “had a constitutional right to dissociate its own artistic message from Carano's outspoken 'political beliefs.’”

But now this legal drama is over, and the fact that Disney is entertaining the possibility of working with Gina Carano again is curious. What does the company mean by “identifying opportunities” with her in the near future? Is this an indication that Carano could return as Cara Dune in the Star Wars universe? Is there even a way she could be squeezed into the upcoming Star Wars movie The Mandalorian & Grogu?

Or do Disney and Lucasfilm still have no plans to bring Gina Carano back into the Star Wars franchise, and the former is merely suggesting that she could be considered for other Disney projects? Maybe I’m thinking too much about this, and ultimately Disney and Carano don’t collaborate again. Still, it feels like the door for a Cara Dune return is at least open now rather than being completely closed like it had been these last several years.

Needless to say we’ll let you know if it’s announced that Gina Carano will reprise Cara Dune. For now, be on the lookout for The Mandalorian & Grogu arriving May 26 on the 2026 movies calendar, as well as Ahoska Season 2’s premiere on Disney+ sometime that same year.

Back in 2021, Gina Carano was fired from Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company after sharing tweets that garnered backlash. The actress, who played Cara Dune on the Star Wars show The Mandalorian, subsequently called out her former employers for what she believed to be a double standard. Carano eventually took legal action in February 2024 by filing suit against Disney for alleged wrongful termination and sex discrimination. As the suit continues to play out, Carano has notched a victory.

As part of her filing, the Deadpool alum has been in pursuit of specific information from Disney. While she hasn’t received everything she’s been asking for, a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California is now requiring the House of Mouse to hand over documents. As the actress’ attorney, Gene Schaerr, shared on X, the entertainment conglomerate must submit details regarding how other members of the Star Wars franchise have been compensated across the IP’s various shows.

The partial approval of this “motion to compel” encompasses payment records for The Mandalorian’s lead actor, Pedro Pascal, Ahsoka’s Rosario Dawson and even the cast of the upcoming Mandalorian & Grogu film. Said information is to reportedly be submitted in the form of “verified spreadsheets” as Gene Schaerr explained. Schaerr went on to say that while he and his client didn’t receive everything they’ve been after, this development marks a step in the right direction for their case:

Gina Carano’s dismissal from Lucasfilm was preceded by instances in which she took to social media to question COVID-19 protocols and make claims of voter fraud in the 2020 U.S. Presidential election. Those aside, she truly drew backlash after sharing a post that seemingly compared being a conservative in the current political landscape to the oppression present during the Holocaust. It was after that post that Carano was fired, and she later argued that her co-star, Pedro Pascal did not receive similar treatment for his own political posts.

Elon Musk eventually offered to fund the lawsuit for the former Star Wars actress, who’s reportedly seeking $75,000 worth of punitive damages. Disney eventually responded to the suit in April 2024, arguing that it had "a constitutional right to dissociate its own artistic message from Carano's outspoken 'political beliefs.'" By June, the studio attempted to have the case dismissed, though a U.S. District judge ultimately prevented that from happening.

All the while, Gina Carano has been candid about her lawsuit being analyzed by the public, calling it “embarrassing.” She also said that in regard to trying to find work, she feels as though she’s “sitting her in the desert.” It was also alleged around May 2024 that Carano actually wanted to rejoin Disney, yet she shot down that notion while blasting the media for its coverage.

While this latest legal update does mark a significant victory for the MMA fighter-turned-actress, it’s hard to say whether she’ll ultimately win her case. Of course, we’ll also have to wait and see if The Walt Disney Company does submit those spreadsheets within the specific time period.

It’s been over three years since Lucasfilm cut ties with Gina Carano due to controversial social media posts shared by the MMA fighter-turned-actress. After discussing her experiences with the Disney-owned company over the next several years, Carano filed suit against the House of Mouse in February 2024. The legal entanglement is ongoing, with both sides sharing arguments for their specific cases. Now, it would appear that the situation could take a significant turn ahead of the trial scheduled for next year. That’s because the possibility of Carano’s ex-co-star Pedro Pascal and other notable individuals testifying now seems to be on the table.

Both Gina Carano and Lucasfilm recently filed legal documents, which name a host of major players from Disney as potential witnesses who could testify in court. On the Star Wars side of this, Din Djarin actor Pedro Pascal, series creator Jon Favreau, LF president Kathleeen and publicity chief Lynnne Hale were all named. Per THR, other notable individuals on that list include former Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek and TV personality Bear Gryllis, who hosted Carano for an episode of his reality series, Running Wild.

Each of the individuals mentioned in the filings had some kind of professional and/or personal connection to the ex-Cara Dune actress. Jon Favreau and Kathleen Kennedy were her employers while she starred on The Mandalorian (which has been a hit with Disney+ subscription holders). And, of course, she and the previously Djarin portrayer collaborated during the show’s first two seasons. Finally, Bob Chapek was overseeing the House of Mouse at the time of the Fast & Furious 6 alum’s dismissal.

The trade also reports that the legal documents share details regarding the points of contention in the case. One of them is whether Gina Carano was technically under contract when she was let go from the job in February 2021. There’s also the matter of whether Carano received equal treatment compared to her male co-stars when it came to her social media activities. (Carano herself once opened up about her polarizing presence on the Internet.)

As it stands, Ms. Carano is suing Disney and Lucasfilm for alleged discrimination and wrongful termination. On top of that, she’s seeking $75,000 in punitive damages and wants a court order that would force her former employers to recast her on the Star Wars show. Carano’s lawsuit is being helped along by businessman Elon Musk, who’s funding it with the help of X’s chief of business operations, Joe Benarroch. The plaintiff is arguing that she was fired for “voicing right-wing opinions on social media.” She appears to view that as a double standard due to Pascal and some of her other peers sharing left-leaning views online.

Disney fired back at the suit after it was filed, arguing that it was in the corporation’s First Amendment rights to “dissociate its own artistic message from Carano's outspoken 'political beliefs.'” Legal documents also seemed to suggest that the company felt compelled to finally cut ties with Carano after she shared a post that appeared to compare being rebuked for one’s political leanings to the persecution of Jewish people during the Holocaust.

Gina Carano has opened up about the suit since it was filed and has been real about how “embarrassing” it is to be going through such a public matter with her ex-colleagues. Additionally, Carano called out the media following reports that she wanted to rejoin The Mandalorian amid the lawsuit. Whether or not any of that will come to pass remains to be seen. All that can be said right now is that Carano is currently set to receive her day in court on September 25, 2025 and, ahead of that date, it’ll be known if Pedro Pascal and others will indeed be called to testify.

The notion of a TV show going through cast changes for one reason or another isn’t all that unusual. In some cases, an actor might choose to leave a show in order to pursue other opportunities. And, at other times, a character naturally runs their course and is written out, leading to a star being ushered out of a production gracefully. However, there have been a number of instances in which an actor has dramatically exited a popular show for more salacious reasons. And we’re going to talk about a number of those situations.

Mackenzie Phillips (One Day At A Time)

Mackenzie Phillips dealt with substance and alcohol abuse during her tenure on One Day at a Time. As her problems increased and she allegedly became erratic on set, the actress was fired after the fifth season of the Norman Lear-produced sitcom. After voluntarily receiving treatment, Philips was invited back to the series at the start of Season 7. But, as mentioned in her Biography special she was fired one more time early in Season 9.

Delta Burke (Designing Women)

Designing Women cast member Delta Burke, who played breakout character Suzanne Sugarbaker, left the beloved CBS comedy after its fifth season. At the time, Burke was having issues with series creator Linda Bloodworth-Thomason. While appearing on the Glamorous Trash podcast years later, Burke said she and the EP “tried to kill each other” but “survived.” They eventually patched things up and teamed up again for a short-lived spinoff series, Women of the House.

John Amos (Good Times) 

Fans, like myself, would probably argue that Good Times – one of the greatest sitcoms of all time – changed tremendously after John Amos’ James Evans Sr. was written out following Season 3. That creative decision was the result of Amos being incredibly vocal about his frustrations with the direction of the show and even threatening the writers. As the actor explained during an interview, series EP Norman Lear called him up personally to tell him he’d been fired. 

Rob Lowe (The West Wing)

Before he dazzled on Parks and Recreation and after rising to prominence as a “Brat Pack” member, Rob Lowe starred on The West Wing. The show was originally set to center around his character, Sam Seaborn, though the focus shifted early on. Feeling underutilized as time went on, Lowe left the show after four seasons.

Roseanne Barr (Roseanne)

Roseanne Barr’s eponymous ABC sitcom was revived for a tenth season that aired in 2018, and it saw considerable success. Following its renewal, Barr was fired after posting a tweet about former government official Valerie Janet that was condemned as being racist. Her dismissal led to the cancellation of Roseanne and the conception of a spinoff sequel series The Conners.

Janet Hubert (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

Two actresses portrayed Vivian “Aunt Viv” Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the first being Janet Hubert. By the NBC sitcom’s third season, she and lead actor Will Smith began to butt heads. Both were also dealing with situations in their personal lives. Ultimately, Hubert left Fresh Prince due to getting an unsatisfactory new contract offer and, years later, she and Smith made amends during the show’s 2020 reunion.

Kevin Spacey (House Of Cards)

House of Cards experienced a significant shake-up after Kevin Spacey was accused of being inappropriate towards actor Anthony Rapp while he was still a minor. Netflix eventually cut ties with Spacey and, as a result, he was replaced as the lead of the show by co-star Robin Wright.

Charlie Sheen (Two And A Half Men)

When it comes to an exit from a TV series, few get more dramatic than Charlie Sheen’s departure from Two and a Half Men. During the eighth season of the hit CBS show, he made headlines for partaking in wild parties and even entered rehab. Sheen’s fate was sealed, however, when he made disparaging remarks about series co-creator Chuck Lorre. Men would continue for four more seasons, with Ashton Kutcher taking over as co-lead.

Katherine Heigl (Grey’s Anatomy) 

There are a lot of moving parts to Katherine Heigl’s Grey’s Anatomy exit, but it was truly set in motion after the actress kept her name from Emmy consideration in 2008. Heigl did that because she didn’t think the work she’d done for that particular season was Emmy-worthy. In 2009, the Izzie Stevens actress accused series creator Shonda Rhimes and the producers of initiating long work hours for the cast and crew. And, in 2010, amid Season 6 of the drama series, Rhimes released Heigl from her contract early.

Valerie Harper (Valerie/Valerie’s Family/The Hogan Family)

Amid the second season of Valerie, lead actress Valerie Harper became engaged in a salary dispute with both NBC and production company Lorimar. It was after that season that the Emmy winner was fired, and she ultimately sued both of the aforementioned companies for breach of contract. The series aired for four more seasons – and had two more names. But, ultimately, Harper won her case and was awarded $1.4 million and future show profits.

Robert Downey Jr. (Ally McBeal)

Robert Downey Jr. had experienced a number of personal issues by the time he was cast for Season 4 of Ally McBeal, and they continued throughout his tenure. During that season, he was arrested in November 2000 for drug possession and was taken into custody again under suspicion of being under the influence in Culver City in 2001. With that, Downey was fired from McBeal.

Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent)

In 2017, amid the MeToo Movement, Jeffrey Tambor was accused of inappropriate behavior by his former assistant. Shortly after, one of Tambor’s Transparent co-stars accused him of misconduct as well. Amazon, which had renewed the Emmy-winning dramedy for a fifth and final season, officially fired Tambor in early 2018. His character, who was the lead, was ultimately killed off in the musical series finale special.

Esther Rolle (Good Times)

Esther Rolle took issue with some of the creative decisions made on Good Times, not unlike her co-star, John Amos – who was fired after Season 3 even though Rolle was more publicly vocal about her disdain. Given her discomfort, Rolle left after the fourth season when her contract expired. She did, however, return as a main cast member for the sixth and final season. 

Suzanne Somers (Three’s Company)

Some TV devotees may not be aware that Suzanne Somers exited Three’s Company after five seasons due to a salary dispute with ABC’s execs. Her attempts to renegotiate a new deal proved to be unsuccessful, and her contract was not renewed. Throughout the remainder of the show's run, Somers' Chrissy Snow would be succeeded by two other characters.

Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill)

Many were likely surprised when Chad Michael Murray was one of two major stars to exit One Tree Hill ahead of its seventh season. At this point, there’s been no clear reason as to why Murray, who played Lucas Scott parted ways with the show. Some contend that he was ready to leave, but Murray was even recorded saying that the network wanted to drop him to save money.

Lori Loughlin (Fuller House)

Veteran actress Lori Loughlin was starring on Netflix’s Fuller House when she was indicted as part of the 2019 college admissions scandal. In 2020, Loughlin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and was sentenced to two months in prison. Given her legal woes, Loughlin’s Aunt Becky was excluded from the sitcom’s final season.

Isaiah Washington (Grey’s Anatomy)

It was in October 2006 that Isaiah Washington made headlines after it was reported that during an on-set conflict with Patrick Dempsey, he insulted their fellow Grey’s Anatomy co-star, T.R. Knight, with a homophobic slur. Washington reportedly issued an apology though, by the summer of 2007, his contract with ABC was eliminated after Season 3. Washington did, however, reprise the role for a Season 10 episode.

Thomas Gibson (Criminal Minds)

Criminal Minds fired Thomas Gibson amid production on Season 12. As has been reported, Gibson, who was directing an episode at the time, had a disagreement with the episode’s writer. The scribe was on set at the time and, during an encounter with Gibson, the actor apparently kicked him. Gibson subsequently expressed regret over his actions.

Shannen Doherty (Charmed)

Few TV deaths were more tragic than that of Shannen Doherty’s Prue Halliwell during Charmed’s third season finale. In the years since she departed the show, Doherty has claimed that her on-set tension with co-star Alyssa Milano caused her to be let go. For her part, Milano said she was “sad” that Doherty blamed her for how everything panned out.

Danny Masterson (The Ranch)

While starring on Netflix’s The Ranch, Danny Masterson was investigated by police due to allegations of assault by multiple women. Masterson was soon fired from the series amid production on Season 3 and, in 2023, he was sentenced to prison.

Ruby Rose (Batwoman)

After leading Batwoman for just one season, Ruby Rose exited the Arrowverse show in 2020. The actress initially attributed her decision to the “taxing” nature of heading up a TV show as well as an allergic reaction to the latex in her costume. However, Rose later made claims of an abusive workplace against her ex-co-stars, The CW and more. Warner Bros. TV denied the allegations as did Rose’s former scene partners.

Cindy Williams (Laverne & Shirley)

Laverne & Shirley lost co-lead Cindy Williams early into the show’s eighth and final season. Williams became pregnant early into production and, as she explained to Today, she wouldn’t sign a new contract due to the producers having her work on her due date. So Penny Marshall’s Laverne DeFazio finished out those last episodes without Williams’ Shirley Feeney.

Chevy Chase (Community)

It’s been well documented that Community’s Chevy Chase had creative differences with series creator Dan Harmon over his character, Pierce Hawthorne. While working on Season 4, the veteran funnyman reportedly had an on-set tirade during which he dropped the N-word. Chase departed the show shortly after that.

Daniel Dae Kim (Hawaii Five-0)

Daniel Dae Kim’s exit from CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 reboot after seven seasons came down to a salary dispute with the network. After the news of his departure was reported, Kim himself (who was one of the procedural’s most recognizable stars) addressed the situation, confirming that he and the network couldn’t agree to terms on a new deal.

Lisa Bonet (A Different World)

Cosby Show spinoff A Different World finished its first season on NBC in early 1988 and, afterward, lead actress Lisa Bonet announced her pregnancy with then-husband Lenny Kravitz. The sitcom’s incoming showrunner, Debbie Allen, wanted to keep Bonet on the show and depict her character, Denise Huxtable, as a single mom. But, as Allen explained years later, series creator Bill Cosby preferred that Bonet be dropped from the show.

Columbus Short (Scandal)

After three seasons on ABC’s Scandal, Columbus Short was removed from the cast of the hit drama series. It was during that time that the actor was dealing with personal issues and was even arrested on a domestic violence charge. Short later explained that he was cut due to his struggles with drugs and alcohol.

Gina Carano (The Mandalorian)

MMA fighter-turned-actress Gina Carano established a polarizing social media presence during her two-season stint on The Mandalorian. Among the controversial posts she shared was a message that seemingly compared being a modern-day conservative to being a Jewish person during the Holocaust. Disney and Lucasfilm fired Carano in 2021 ahead of the highly popular Star Wars show’s third season.

Nicollette Sheridan (Desperate Housewives)

Desperate Housewives star Nicollette Sheridan was written out of the show after the show’s fifth season, with her character, Edie Britt, being killed off. Several years later, the actress filed suit against Marc Cherry, the show’s creator and ABC. Sheridan alleged that Cherry assaulted her on the set and that she was fired for reporting it. Cherry provided an account of events and, in time, the harassment claims were thrown and Sheridan was unsuccessful in getting a retrial.

T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy)

In 2009, T.R. Knight – who played Dr. George O’Malley on Grey’s Anatomy – left the show after the fifth season. Knight said his reason for leaving was due to a “breakdown of communication” with series EP Shonda Rhimes, his own decision to come out as gay and more. This also all came a few years after Knight was allegedly insulted with a homophobic slur by ex-co-star Isaiah Washington. 

Hilarie Burton (One Tree Hill)

Much has been said about Hilarie Burton’s exit from One Tree Hill after the sixth season. The most common assertion has been that the Peyton Sawyer actress couldn’t agree with the network on a new deal. Interestingly, while Burton recalled filming her final scene for the show, she noted that while shooting another sequence, a producer announced on set that the show was renewed for Season 7. However, both Burton and co-star Chad Michael Muray were surprised as they apparently hadn’t been offered new deals.

Justin Roiland (Rick And Morty)

Rick and Morty actor and co-creator Justin Roiland was fired from the Adult Swim show in 2023 after it was revealed that he was facing a domestic violence charge and other offenses in court. Roiland’s case was eventually thrown out later that year. However, the animator and voice actor was later accused of assault and messaging underage girls.

John Rhys-Davies (Sliders)

The sci-fi cult classic Sliders lost cast member John Rhys-Davies when the actor opted to depart after three seasons amid other cast changes. Sometime later, Rhys-Davies explained that he left due to conflicts with the writers. The veteran actor later explained that by the time he left the show, the scripts had become “incomprehensible gibberish.”

Whenever a high-profile (and high dollar value) lawsuit is filed, the first thing the side being sued does is try and get the case dismissed. That’s exactly what Disney did after Gina Carano sued the studio following her firing from The Mandalorian. Disney hoped to get the lawsuit tossed on a First Amendment basis, but the judge has dismissed that claim, and the suit will move forward, at least for now.

Disney argued in front of U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett that the studio had the right to sever its relationship with Carano because she did not espouse viewpoints that the company agreed with. According to THR, the judge stated that the First Amendment could not be used as a shield to potentially violate discrimination laws. Carano is arguing that in firing her she was discriminated against and that the studio violated California labor laws in terminating her.

While the case wasn’t dismissed here, that doesn’t mean that it couldn’t still be dismissed down the line. The judge here simply found that there were enough disputed facts that needed to be considered that the case should move to the discovery phase. At that point, it will be decided if there is enough evidence to move the lawsuit into the trial phase.

Back in 2021 before the third season of The Mandalorian, Disney announced it was parting ways with the Cara Dune actress following a controversy regarding some of her social media posts. Carano compared the political climate at the time to Nazi Germany and had made more than one post that was seen by many as transphobic. Disney called Carano’s posts “abhorrent and unacceptable” when it announced she wouldn’t be returning to the Star Wars series. According to the lawsuit Carano was not under contract to appear in Season 3 of The Mandalorian at the time the decision was made not to move forward with her.

Earlier this year Carano filed a lawsuit against Lucasfilm and Disney. The suit is being backed by Elon Musk, who had offered to help pay for any lawsuit that stemmed from what he saw as violations of freedom of speech that took place on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Carano has claimed she was “bullied” by Disney during her time working on The Mandalorian including when she had been previously asked to apologize for some of her social media statements. Carano has said it’s been difficult for her to find work since being fired by Disney.

Discovery is usually a lengthy process so it will likely be some time before it is completed. At that point, the judge will make a further ruling and the case may still be dismissed, or it could move forward and a formal trial could begin.

The Mandalorian’s Gina Carano was fired from Disney and Lucasfilm back in 2021 over controversial social media posts she shared around that time. In the aftermath, she seemingly sought to distance herself from the company and take on new gigs. This year, however, Carano filed suit against the House of Mouse, decreeing discrimination and wrongful termination in regard to her ousting. It was then reported this weekend that she was open to returning to the franchise amid the lawsuit. Since then, Carano has taken to the web to call out the media. 

Gina Carano was one of several stars who appeared at FAN EXPO Philadelphia over the weekend, and she participated in a panel discussion. It was reported by several news outlets that Carano was purportedly open to rejoining Star Wars. Additionally, it was said that the MMA fighter-turned-actress held no ill will towards her former employers at The Walt Disney Company. Sometime on Sunday evening, though, the star took to X (formerly Twitter) to share some thoughts. She didn’t specifically mention the claims that she voiced interest in reteaming with the entertainment conglomerate but didn’t mince words when voicing her disdain for “journalists”: 

As of this writing, the actress hasn’t provided further clarity on the matter. That includes what was specifically said during the event in Philadelphia.

The Deadpool alum’s firing over three years ago came after she shared several polarizing sentiments on social media. Among them was a post that seemingly compared the contemporary political climate to that of Nazi Germany. She also stirred up controversy after questioning health protocols during the COVID pandemic and making claims related to voter fraud in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. Additionally, she garnered backlash for making jokes about pronoun usage on social media. 

It was reported in February that Gina Carano had taken steps to sue for her firing. Per the suit, which is funded by Elon Musk, the former Cara Dune actress is seeking $75,000 in punitive damages, and she’s since expressed optimism over her chances of winning the case. By April, Disney issued a response, noting in legal documents that the brand “had a constitutional right to dissociate its own artistic message from Carano's outspoken 'political beliefs.'” The legal team also argued that “because these claims aim to 'require [Disney] to modify the content of [its] expression,' they cannot proceed.” 

Since being let go by the company, Gina Carano has been candid when sharing her feelings about Disney and her current professional standing. She previously claimed she was “bullied” by the company and felt as though she was being “head-hunted.” When talking about the lawsuit, Carano said it’s “embarrassing” to have such a legal situation play out, and in the public eye at that. As for her career, she feels like she’s been “sitting here in the desert” since cutting ties with both the House of Mouse and The Daily Wire.

Whether speculation continues to surround the actress' relationship with Lucasfilm and co. remains to be seen at this point. However, her recent post about the media may indicate that she’s not planning to join any upcoming Star Wars movies or TV shows in the near future.

The Walt Disney Company is seen by many as the strongest company in the entertainment industry, but that hasn’t stopped Gina Carano from taking it on. The actress who had previously been part of the Star Wars series The Mandalorian is suing the company over her firing, and she’s not mincing words when discussing the situation. While she admits to some embarrassment over the lawsuit, she has strong words for Disney CEO Bob Iger and says Disney instructs people how to apologize during situations like hers.

On the same day that Disney publicly responded to Gina Carano’s lawsuit, an interview with the former Mandalorian actor on the Sage Steele podcast went live. When speaking about the lawsuit, Carano admitted that she is a little embarrassed by the fact that it exists, because in her mind her issues could have been resolved another way, and the lawsuit was a last resort. She said…

In February 2021 Lucasfilm cut tiles with Gina Carano following a series of controversial social media posts from the actress. Carano was accused of making transphobic statements as well as denigrating Jews and making light of the Holocaust in a variety of posts on social media. Carano has denied that her posts were meant to be taken that way. 

The actress clearly feels that she has been wronged. Her lawsuit asks that the court force Lucasfilm to rehire her The Mandalorian, a somewhat surprising ask considering the clear animus she holds toward the company. The lawsuit is being funded by Elon Musk’s X, as the owner of the former Twitter site has offered to fund lawsuits to defend people that believe they were punished for statements made on Twitter. 

Carano really seems to feel that, if she could only speak with the right people, this whole issue could be dealt with. She claims her specific case is unique, and seems to feel Disney is not handling it appropriately. The Deadpool actress continued...

Carano has previously claimed Disney has bullied her and says here that the company is trying to “crush” her for “asking the right questions.” Though she doesn’t state exactly what those questions are. She feels Disney is making the wrong business decision by treating her this way, saying…

While Carano feels she’s being treated unfairly by Disney, Disney doesn’t seem to feel the same way. The company has filed a motion to dismiss Carano’s lawsuit, claiming the company was perfectly within its rights to dismiss her for her public posts. We also know that Disney had previously asked Carano to simply apologize for the posts, even giving her a statement to post as her apology. Carano reiterates here that she was told how to apologize, but she did not do so, saying…

Carano has admitted it's been difficult to find work since her public firing. How things may change following this lawsuit remains to be seen.

Gina Carano is currently engaged in a legal battle with her former employers – The Walt Disney Company and Lucasfilm. Back in February, the MMA fighter-turned-actress sued both entities over her 2021 firing from the show. Carano’s lawsuit lists alleged discrimination and wrongful termination as the reasons for which she’s taking legal action. Up to this point, Disney has not publicly commented on the situation. Now, however, its legal team has issued a response, which includes an argument against the filing.

Lawyers for the entertainment conglomerate filed a motion this past week, according to Variety. Legal documents obtained by the trade show that the company is arguing that it has “a constitutional right not to associate its artistic expression with Carano’s speech.” With this argument of a supposed First Amendment right, Disney is looking to have the suit tossed out entirely. When it comes to the argument at the center of this motion, one section of the filing reads as follow:

Gina Carano came under fire in 2020 after sharing controversial social media posts on multiple occasions, which garnered backlash from fans. During the COVID lockdown that year, she questioned some of the health protocols that had been put in place. Additionally, she poked fun at pronoun usage on social media accounts and shared content that apparently questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. Finally, another polarizing post from Carano compared the treatment of contemporary conservatives to that of Jews in Nazi Germany. Per Disney’s suit, that was “the final straw” that led to her ousting.

After it was revealed that she was no longer employed with Lucasfilm, the Fast & Furious alum has been candid about the alleged experiences she had while working for it. She claimed that she was “bullied” and “head-hunted” due to her personal beliefs. Through her suit, Gina Carano laid out measures that were taken to help smooth out the backlash against her viral comments. That apparently included a Zoom meeting with GLAAD to discuss ways to move forward. Carano explained earlier this month that she’s had a difficult time finding work since being let go. As she put it, she feels like she’s been “sitting here in the desert.”

Business magnate Elon Musk is providing financial support for the lawsuit “a sign of X Corp’s commitment to free speech.” The social media platform’s head of business operations, Joe Benarroch, explained that by doing so, the corporation is “empowering” the Deadpool alum to “seek vindication of her free speech rights on X and the ability to work without bullying, harassment, or discrimination.”

As of this writing, neither Gina Carano nor her legal counsel have yet to issue a response. It can’t be said for sure how a decision on this lawsuit will ultimately look. What can be said, though, is that both Disney and Carano seem to believe that they both hold compelling arguments in support of their desired outcomes.

Here’s some simple TV math: the longer a series airs, the less likely its original cast will remain intact, regardless of how beloved the show or actor is. The majority of popular series over the years have gone through at least one major exit, and it’s bad enough when changes are revealed early, and characters’ last episodes are planned out and logical. It's far worse, however, when actors suddenly exit projects without any on-screen closure.

Surprise departures can curb audiences' enjoyment of a show, whether from disrupted cast dynamics or shoddy storytelling. And depending on how controversial the exits are, a key departure can completely derail a show's success. So let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable instances when stars parted ways with projects without closing their characters' stories.

Anna Faris (Mom)

During Mom's hiatus following Season 7, co-star Anna Faris suddenly revealed she was leaving the show, which reportedly shocked the creative team as much as fans. Allison Janney & Co. went forward with the eighth season, occasionally referencing Faris’ character Christy, but it was canceled without any kind of conclusion for the character, though the creators made it clear they didn’t want to kill her off.

Chevy Chase (Community)

Community already suffered the exodus of creator Dan Harmon and more creatives in Season 4, and then Chevy Chase allegedly used a racial slur on the set, leading him to drop out of the NBC comedy through mutual agreement with network execs. His character Pierce appeared multiple times after his official exit, due to episodes airing out of order, as well as that hologram cameo in the Season 5 premiere, but the SNL vet never returned as a regular, and was unceremoniously killed off via dialogue two episodes after the cameo.

Danny Masterson (The Ranch)

That ‘70s Show vet Danny Masterson reteamed with Ashton Kutcher on Netflix’s sitcom The Ranch, but was fired in December 2017 after multiple assault allegations against him were publicized. Masterson later faced trial, was convicted and sentenced to prison in September 2023, and did not return as Rooster Bennett, who was written as missing and presumed dead via motorcycle accident.

Suzanne Somers (Three's Company)

Three’s Company's early seasons were bolstered by the popularity of Suzanne Somers’ Chrissy Snow, but network execs reportedly refused the actress’ salary increase requests, leading to a unique stalemate agreement. Somers made only contractually obligated appearances in Season 4 episodes' closing tag scenes, which she filmed separately from her co-stars. Somers was fired by the season’s end, with Chrissy said to be caring for her sick mom in Fresno.

Corey Hawkins (The Walking Dead)

Corey Hawkins joined The Walking Dead Season 6 as comic book fan-favorite Heath, but Straight Outta Compton's release that same year shot him to Hollywood’s stratosphere. In one of TWD’s most baffling moments, Heath disappeared in Season 7, and was never seen from again. Reportedly, Heath would have returned for the movies, but those plans have been shut down.

Emmy Rossum (Shameless)

The final two years of Shameless' 11-season run were without Emmy Rossum’s Fiona Gallagher. The actress announced her shocking exit in 2018, and Fiona’s final appearance came in the emotional Season 9 finale. Despite fans’ hopes, Rossum opted not to return for cameos in the remaining seasons, and the series finale wrapped without any major Fiona updates.

Mandy Patinkin (Criminal Minds)

Criminal Minds began its lengthy run with Mandy Patinkin’s Jason Gideon running the BAU, but that changed ahead of the third season when Patinkin left the show entirely over his disgust with the violent storylines. (He called joining the crime drama his “biggest public mistake” in 2012.) Gideon was replaced and killed off-screen seven seasons later, with Ben Savage guest-starring as young Gideon in flashbacks.

Columbus Short (Scandal)

Ahead of Scandal's Season 3 finale, co-star Columbus Short was arrested over a physical altercation at an L.A. restaurant, and eventually confessed he’d developed drinking and drug habits while dealing with a divorce and custody disputes. Short was fired from Scandal in April 2014, and his character Harrison Wright was revealed in Season 4 to have been killed off.

Gina Carano (The Mandalorian)

Former MMA badass Gina Carano landed the role of Star Wars merc Cara Dune in The Mandalorian, but lost the gig in February 2021. Following a series of controversial social media moves, Lucasfilm announced she would no longer be involved in the show. Cara Dune was not recast, and has not returned to the franchise since the Season 2 finale.

Valerie Harper (Valerie)

The Hogan Family began its existence as Valerie, starring the Emmy-winning Valerie Harper as its lead matriarch for two seasons. She was later fired after salary disputes and sued NBC and production company Lorimar. While her initial claims were dismissed, a judge ruled Harper was indeed wrongfully terminated, netting her a financial win. Her character suffered an offscreen death, leading to the series' name changes.

Robert Downey Jr. (Ally McBeal)

Following a string of 1990s scandals, Robert Downey Jr. landed the role of love interest Larry Paul in Season 4 of Fox’s hit dramedy Ally McBeal, which earned him a Golden Globe. But additional arrests in late 2000 and 2001 led creator David E. Kelley to cut ties with RDJ completely. The fifth season, which would have chronicled Ally and Larry’s post-wedding bliss, had to be completely rewritten.

Shannen Doherty (Charmed)

Though Charmed’s eldest sister Prue Halliwell was the trio's most powerful, the third season finale left Shannen Doherty’s character facing possible death. Though presumptions held that she’d return for Season 4, tensions and more issues surrounding Doherty and Alyssa Milano led to Doherty’s firing via phone call. As such, Prue’s wounds turned out to be fatal, but Doherty did not return for the funeral episode.

Clayne Crawford (Lethal Weapon)

Fox’s iteration of Lethal Weapon paired Rectify vet Clayne Crawford with Damon Wayans. But instead of buddy cop love, reports indicated strife and hostility building between the co-stars, along with complaints about Crawford's directorial work. His exit was reported on the day of the Season 2 finale, which ended on a cliffhanger for his character Riggs, who was unsurprisingly revealed to have succumbed to his wounds. Seann William Scott joined Season 3 as a replacement.

Grace Park (Hawaii Five-0)

After seven seasons portraying Kono Kalakaua for CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 reboot, Grace Park opted to vacate her role alongside Daniel Dae Kim after their attempts to secure pay equality with co-stars Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan were turned down by CBS Television Studios. Kono was revealed to have relocated to Carson City, Nevada, as part of a trafficking task force, with Danny sharing their break-up update in Season 9.

Thomas Gibson (Criminal Minds)

Various Criminal Minds stars exited the drama for different reasons, but Thomas Gibson’s case. stands out. Despite the show still being early into filming Season 12, ABC Studios and CBS Studios revealed the actor’s termination via a joint statement in August 2016, less than a week after Gibson was suspended over an on-set altercation with a writer-producer. A later episode revealed his character Aaron “Hotch” Hotchner entered Witness Protection after discovering serial killer Peter Lewis stalking his son Jack.

Roseanne Barr (Roseanne)

One of the '90s' biggest sitcoms returned to ABC in 2018, with Roseanne bringing comedian Roseanne Barr back as its matriarch. But that return only lasted for a single season, as Barr tweeted a message about former White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett that was considered racist, and two months after its Season 11 renewal, Roseanne was effectively canceled. The network relaunched without Barr as The Conners, which kicked off its run by killing off Roseanne Conner via drug overdose.

Charlie Sheen (Two And A Half Men)

Two and a Half Men thrived on the chemistry between Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer, but the show went into hiatus in 2011 due to Sheen’s then-latest rehab stint, at which point the actor began slamming CBS and Chuck Lorre in a variety of high-profile interviews. Season 8 was then shut down mid-production, with Sheen’s firing later capping things off. His public meltdowns continued capturing headlines as Ashton Kutcher helped fill the Charlie void, and unfortunately didn't make good on rumors of his series finale return.

Lisa Edelstein (House)

Across her years as Dr. Lisa Cuddy, House star Lisa Edelstein went from playing contentious boss to adoring lover. Upon Season 7’s end, she and two co-stars were asked to take salary cuts during contract negotiations, with Edelstein being the lone holdout. She announced her exit ahead of Season 8, and Cuddy was later revealed to have quit as Dean of Medicine, with Omar Epps’ Eric Foreman taking on the duties for the final season.

James Garner (Maverick)

For three seasons, James Garner portrayed Maverick's title character Bret Maverick, but the 1960 writers' strike helped bring that run to a sudden close. When Warner Bros. attempted to lay Garner off due to a lack of scripts, he fought back and successfully sued the studio for breach of contract. According to the actor, he personally turned down an offer to return with a raise, saying, “I want out,” and though Bret appeared in an airing-delayed Season 4 ep which was filmed far earlier, Garner did not return, with fill-in stars Roger Moore and Robert Colbert added later.

Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy)

Katherine Heigl took a temporary leave from Grey’s Anatomy in Season 6 to shoot a movie and spend time with her adopted daughter, which sparked her to request to be released from her contract 18 months early. Disputes have raged on over how her sudden exit was handled, considering Izzy never experienced an official “farewell” scene. Alex Karev’s final ep specifically noted that he and Izzy were back together and raising twins in Kansas. While Heigl notably reunited with former co-stars at the Emmys, giving fans hope that Izzy could return, she has yet to justify those hopes.

Jeff Garlin (The Goldbergs)

Nine months after The Goldbergs co-star George Segal died at 87, lead actor Jeff Garlin vacated the show following multiple HR investigations into allegations of misconduct. The departure was said to be a mutual agreement between the actor and the producers and network, and because it happened in the middle of filming Season 9, the producers used CGI, physical stand-ins, and archival audio to make it appear as if Murray was still around. The writers ditched that idea going into Season 10, though, and revealed Murray's off-camera death.

Freema Agyeman (New Amsterdam)

Freema Agyeman portrayed New Amsterdam's oncology chief Dr. Helen Sharpe for four seasons, and while many expected her back for the fifth and final season, the actress shockingly announced her exit amid the summer hiatus, cheekily pleading for fans to continue Sharpe’s story via fan-fiction. She went on to co-star in the series Dreamland, cementing Sharpe and Dr. Goodwin’s break-up, and though the character did appear on TV in a later Season 5 episode, it was without any overarching updates.

Hartley Sawyer (The Flash)

In 2017, actor Hartley Sawyer landed his stretchiest role yet as The Flash’s Ralph Dibny, a.k.a. Elongated Man. Three years later, in response to his comments about Black Lives Matter, social media users pulled up multiple derogatory and offensive tweets the actor posted between the years of 2009-2014. He publicly apologized for the posts, but a week after waves were made, Warner Bros. TV and The CW fired Sawyer from The Flash, which used an uncredited body double for Season 7’s “Mother” to write Ralph out alongside Sue Dearbon.

Jill Marie Jones (Girlfriends)

Jill Marie Jones crushed it as Girlfriends’ ego-driven Toni Childs for six seasons but was the only main cast holdout who exited the dramedy ahead of Season 7 over her contract expiring. Jones' exit was explained through Toni moving to New York City at the end of Season 6, but Jones spoke openly in 2007 about feeling that Toni’s story wasn’t over and that she'd be willing to return if the writers put something together. Alas, the show was canceled in 2008 before that could happen.

Lori Loughlin (Fuller House)

Lori Loughlin returned to her Full House role of Rebecca for the Netflix continuation series Fuller House, but her appearances ceased in Season 4 after she was fired by Netflix over her and her husband Mossimo Giannulli’s actions regarding the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal. Though the actress was later able to reprise her When Calls the Heart character, Aunt Becky didn't return at all for Season 5.

Kevin Spacey (House Of Cards)

Alongside Robin Wright, Kevin Spacey made streaming TV normal with Netflix’s House of Cards. In the weeks ahead of Season 6's production, Spacey faced widely publicized accusations from actor Anthony Rapp, was subsequently fired by Netflix and was removed from executive producer duties. His character Frank Underwood was revealed to have been poisoned and died ahead of the Season 6 premiere.

Leanna Creel (Saved By The Bell)

Leanna Creel’s Tori Scott remains one of pop culture's biggest curiosities, having slid into NBC’s Saved by the Bell for its final season during a run of episodes lacking Tiffani Thiessen’s Kelly and Elizabeth Berkley’s Jessie. The leather-clad character shook things up for Zack & Co. for just ten episodes, and was never heard from again.

Wayne Rogers (MASH)

Three years after joining CBS' MASH, actor Wayne Rogers grew discouraged by his character Trapper John not reaching his expectations, and unexpectedly opted to quit the hit series ahead of its fourth season. But while fellow exiting co-star McLean Stevenson was able to be written out of the Season 3 finale, Trapper John's absence had to be explained away in the Season 4 premiere without Rogers around.

Ruby Rose (Batwoman)

Batwoman’s first foray into live-action saw Ruby Rose wearing Kate Kane's cape and cowl, but she left the Arrowverse series shortly after the first season ended. Reports noted she was fired over on-set behavior, with Rose claiming the show’s taxing nature led her to suffer back surgery following an alleged on-set accident. Replaced as a lead by Javicia Leslie's Ryan Wilder, Kate later returned in a different physical form without Rose’s involvement.

Kate Jackson (Charlie's Angels)

O.G. Charlie’s Angels star Kate Jackson won viewers’ hearts for three years as Sabrina Duncan, which is when she followed former co-star Farrah Fawcett out the door. Jackson spoke warily of the writers’ scripts, and after being denied the opportunity to join Kramer vs. Kramer due to scheduling, she intentionally caused an on-set mess that led to her dismissal ahead of Season 4. Replaced by Shelley Hack’s Tiffany Wells, Sabrina was revealed to have left the agency to become a mother.

Jon Seda (Chicago P.D.)

Jon Seda’s Antonio Dawson jumped from Chicago Fire to P.D. to Justice and back again for seven years. Surprisingly, NBC and Wolf Entertainment chose not to renew Seda’s contract ahead of Chicago P.D.'s seventh season, and he was let go. Later episodes revealed the character fell back into pill addiction following the prior finale's cliffhanger, and he was checked into rehab, eventually moving to Puerto Rico after resigning from the force.

Selma Blair (Anger Management)

Charlie Sheen followed Two and a Half Men with the comedy Anger Management, co-starring Selma Blair for part of its run as his colleague and fling interest Dr. Kate Wales. Conflict between Blair and Sheen bled into the tabloids, and a reported ultimatum from Sheen led producers to fire Blair, with her character suddenly being explained away as having moved to India.

Long before she was known for playing Cara Dune in the first two seasons of The Mandalorian, one of the best Disney+ TV shows, Gina Carano made her first big splash in the realm of tentpole franchises with 2013’s Fast & Furious 6. Playing Riley Hicks, an ally-turned-enemy of Dominic Toretto and his crew, came just two years after the MMA fighter-turned-actress made her feature film debut in Haywire. However, Carano had contrasting experiences between the productions, calling the transition between the two movies “absolutely ridiculous.”

During a THR profile delving into the background behind the lawsuit she’s has filed against Disney over being fired from The Mandalorian, Carano recalled how she got her start in the acting business, first explaining how director Steven Soderbergh selected star in Haywire, where she played a black ops agent named Mallory Kane and co-starred with Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor and Bill Paxton. She then went over what it was like transitioning from that movie to Fast & Furious 6, saying:

Gina Carano had a decently-sized role in Fast & Furious 6, as Riley Hicks was originally presented as the DSS agent partnered with Dwayne Johnson’s Luke Hobbs, but it was later revealed that she was in cahoots with the main antagonist, Luke Evans’ Owen Shaw. But as far as the actress’ time on set, it sounds like it was difficult for her to get used to the different vibe in the air compared to what she’d gotten used to on Haywire. It’s understandable why she’d be taken aback by all the support the other starring actors were receiving, and meanwhile she’s left to fend for herself.

Still, Fast & Furious 6 did help push Carano’s acting career along. After appearing in the direct-to-video movies In the Blood, Heist and Extraction (no, not the Chris Hemsworth one), she was cast to play Angel Dust, the secondary antagonist in 2016’s Deadpool. Three years later, she was cast as Cara Dune in The Mandalorian, and as mentioned in the profile, she was being lined up to lead the Rangers of the New Republic spinoff. But after the controversy surrounding her various social media posts unfolded, Disney cut ties with her, and since then she’s appeared in Terror on the Prairie and My Son Hunter, which were respectively released by The Daily Wire and Breitbart News.

While it remains to be seen when Gina Carano will be seen on the big or small screens next, Fast & Furious 6 can currently be streamed with an Apple TV+ subscription. The next installment in the franchise, Fast 11, is slated for release on April 4, 2025, and the Dwayne Johnson and Jason Momoa-led Hobbs & Reyes spinoff is also in development.

It’s been over three years since The Mandalorian alum Gina Carano was fired by Lucasfilm and the Walt Disney Company. The MMA fighter-turned-actress was let go by the entertainment conglomerate after sharing social media posts that stirred up controversy. In the aftermath, the star hasn’t minced words when sharing her feelings about her former employees and, just weeks ago, it was revealed that Carano is suing Disney over her ousting. As she moves forward with the legal proceedings, Carano is now getting real about what it’s been like trying to find work since she was dropped. 

Before landing the role of mercenary and New Republic official Cara Dune on The Mandalorian, Gina Carano had a number of other film and TV credits under her belt. Fast & Furious 6, Deadpool and Almost Human are just some of them. She recently caught up with The Post Millennial to discuss her current professional prospects and, as she explains, it’s been tough for her to find work. She believes her Disney firing is now “stuck” on her and used an alleged scenario involving a potential new agent to illustrate her point: 

Lucasfilm announced the actress’ firing in early 2021, specifying that there were no plans to use her in upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows. Among the posts she shared a message that compared today’s political climate to Nazi Germany. She was also chastised for making comments about trans-friendly pronoun usage, which were viewed as derogatory. She also notably made comments in regard to supposed voter fraud in the 2020 U.S. Presidential election as well as masking and health protocols amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Fight Girls alum has scored some gigs since being written out of The Mandalorian as, shortly after, she announced a partnership with The Daily Wire. Gina Carano’s first project with the brand was a thriller film called Terror on The Prairie, and she also starred in the political movie My Son Hunter. As she explained during this recent interview though, she and the conservative entertainment company are no longer partners. With that, she says she now finds herself alone on a “desert”:

Since her firing, Gina Carano has claimed she was “bullied” by the House of Mouse and added that she felt “head-hunted” as well. Though she’s been critical of the brand itself, she shared loving words for former co-star Pedro Pascal in the aftermath. Now, via her lawsuit, Carano is suing Disney and Lucasfilm on the grounds of discrimination and wrongful termination, and Elon Musk is helping to fund the suit. She’s seeking at least $75,000 in punitive damages. As she conveyed in this recent interview, she seems content with how the proceedings are going and is optimistic about her career moving forward:

As of this writing, Disney and Lucasfilm have not spoken publicly on Gina Carano’s lawsuit. It remains to be seen whether her efforts to sue her former employers will be successful and whether it’ll become easier for her to find work as time goes on.

Although Gina Carano’s Cara Dune was an important character in the first two seasons of The Mandalorian, there are no plans for the character to appear in the Star Wars franchise again. That’s because in early 2021, Lucasfilm announced that Carano was no longer employed at the company in response to the controversy surrounding her social media activity. Two years later, Carano is now suing both Lucasfilm and Disney, the former’s parent company, over the firing from the Star Wars TV show, and X owner Elon Musk is involved in this legal affair.

Per THR, Carano has filed a lawsuit claiming discrimination and wrongful termination on Disney and Lucasfilm’s part. In a complaint filed in California federal court today, the actress alleged that she was let go from The Mandalorian for “voicing right-wing opinions on social media.” She’s also seeking a court order that would force Lucasfilm to recast her as Cara Dune, as well as at least $75,000 in punitive damages. Elon Musk is helping fund the lawsuit through X, with Joe Benarroch, the social media company’s head of business operations, writing in a statement:

For those who weren’t following along with the controversy when it was originally unfolding, among the social media posts for which Gina Carano received flak included comparing being a conservative in the United States to being Jewish during the Nazi regime, seemingly criticizing people for wearing masks during the pandemic, and making comments that seemingly mocked people’s choice of pronouns, among other things. Carano shared shortly after her firing that Disney asked her to issue an apology, but she declined. After the firing, Carano announced she was partnering with The Daily Wire to make a Western movie, with Terror on The Prairie being released in June 2022.

Now, however, Carnao is looking to hold Disney and Lucasfilm legally accountable for them firing her from The Mandalorian. The complaint alleges that the companies defamed her for “refusing to conform with their viewpoints on issues relating to Black Lives Matter, preferred pronouns and disproven claims of election interference.” Carano is also arguing that a “blind eye” was turned to her male costars, who’ve allegedly made “offensive and denigrating posts directed towards Republicans.”

The lawsuit also mentioned that after the social media controversy started getting attention, Gina Carano was required to meet with a representative from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination, with said representative allegedly demanding an apology. As it’s written:

When Gina Carano refused to issue that apology, the lawsuit Staes she was instructed to meet with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and 45 employees who identify as LGBTQ+. When Carano turned down that meeting too, that’s when the firing happened. It had also previously been reported that Carano had been expected to lead The Mandalorian spinoff Rangers of the New Republic, but that project looked to have been scrapped several months after she was let go.

We’ll keep you apprised about how Gina Carano’s Elon Musk-aided lawsuit against Disney is going as more updates come in. As far as The Mandalorian goes, its three seasons can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription, and while it remains unclear if Season 4 will still happen, a tie-in movie called The Mandalorian & Grogu has been announced. 

Everything is bigger in Texas, they say, and that certainly includes the star power of its homegrown celebrities. From the biggest stars in music to the biggest on the silver screen, the biggest celebs in the squared circle, and almost everywhere else, Texas has bred them all. 

California may be home to Hollywood, but there might not be a Hollywood without its biggest legends who hail from the Lone Star State, so here is our list of some of the biggest stars from Texas

Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey was born in Uvalde, Texas, raised mostly in Longview, TX, went to college in Austin, and got his first big break in show business in Dazed & Confused, which was, of course, filmed in Texas. McConaughey still lives in Austin. It makes sense that the proud Texan wants to see more movies made in his home state. McConaughey has also sparked rumors in the past that he might be interested in running for political office in Texas, though he's usually brushed them aside. Politician or not, the man sure loves his home state. 

Renée Zellweger

She may have won accolades for playing an English woman, but Renée Zellweger is Texas through and through. The Bridget Jones' Diary star was born outside Houston in Katy, TX, and grew up there before attending the University of Texas. It was in Austin that she discovered her love for acting and she landed her first on-screen role as an extra in Dazed & Confused. 

Owen Wilson

Dallas-born Owen Wilson has played a lot of fantastic roles over the years, but none better than his many roles in the films of Wes Anderson. Wilson and fellow Texan Anderson have been friends since their college days at the University of Texas. It's also worth noting that both of Owen Wilson's brothers, Luke and Andrew, also hail from Texas, of course. 

Jim Parsons

While some people ooze "Texas," Houston native Jim Parsons doesn't, really. You might guess he'd be from New York or Chicago, but nope, he's a Texan. Born and raised in the suburbs of Houston, he also attended the University of Houston before striking out for Hollywood and making it big. 

Carol Burnett

Comedy legend Carol Burnett grew up in California, attending high school right in Hollywood, but the Annie star was born deep in the heart of Texas, in San Antonio in 1933. Though her vast career has taken her far from Texas, the state can still call her one of its own. 

Beyoncé

If the stars are brighter and everything is bigger in Texas, then it only makes sense that one of the biggest stars would come from Houston. There is no bigger star on the planet than Beyoncé, who was born and raised in Texas along with her sister Solange and her Destiny's Child bandmate, LaTavia Roberson. 

Selena Gomez

Like many other native Texas, Selena Gomez is proud of her Mexican heritage. The Only Murders In The Building star was born in Grand Prairie, Texas, near Dallas, and although her many acting roles and career took her to California early in life, her family's roots are firmly in the Lone Star State. Gomez is named for another Texas native as well, the late Tejano superstar Selena, who was murdered in Corpus Christi in 1995. 

Woody Harrelson

Woody Harrelson first got famous playing a farm boy-turned-bartender from Indiana on Cheers, and while he moved to Ohio as a teenager, Harrelson was born in Midland, Texas. He's also tight with his occasional co-star and fellow Texan, Matthew McConaughey, and, according to McConaughey, the two could even be brothers! 

Tommy Lee Jones

Sure, he was roommates at Harvard with Al Gore, but Tommy Lee Jones is all Texan. The No Country For Old Men star was born in the small town of San Saba, Texas, and raised in Midland. He's never really strayed far either, as he has resided in Terrell Hills, TX, near San Antonio, for years. He's also a member of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, and the Texas Film Hall of Fame. There really isn't another actor who screams "Texas" like Jones, is there?

Steve Martin

Waco-born Steve Martin is one of the funniest people in film history. While he grew up mostly in Southern California, his roots are originally in central Texas, where he was born in Waco, on August 14th, 1945, the same day that the Japanese surrendered in World War II. 

Jamie Foxx

The multi-talented Jamie Foxx started acquiring his many skills as a kid in Terrell, TX, outside Dallas, where he was born and raised. As a kid, he played piano and excelled at sports at Terrell High School. He moved to Southern California after school and in 1991, scored a role on In Living Color, and the rest is history. 

Jennifer Garner

Jennifer Garner moved to West Virginia when she was just three, so she probably doesn't remember much of anything from her early life in Texas, but the Daredevil star was born in Houston. 

Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson exploded into show business by winning the first-ever season of American Idol and she's been a star ever since. It's a journey that started when she was born in Forth Worth, TX, and raised in the suburb of Burleson, just outside the city. While her career may have taken her to LA and New York, her heart (and sports allegiance) has stayed in Texas.

Wes Anderson

People love to debate what the best Wes Anderson movie is, but if you are wondering what is his most personal, it's probably Bottle Rocket, which was filmed almost entirely in Anderson's home state of Texas. It stars a couple of fellow Texans as well, Owen and Luke Wilson. While the Wilsons are from Dallas originally, Anderson hails from Houston. 

Megan Thee Stallion

Megan Thee Stallion is a triple threat. She proved herself on the mic, and on the dance floor, first, then she started taking over TV and movies by starring in her first film in 2023. Before all that happened, though, she grew up in and around Houston. The “H-town Hottie” even got her nickname, Stallion, in the city. 

Michelle Rodriguez

Michelle Rodriguez has been in some huge film franchises, like Fast & Furious and Avatar. She kind of grew up all over, including in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, but she was born and lived for a few years of her life in San Antonio, TX. 

Ethan Hawke

Ethan Hawke's parents were high school sweethearts who had Ethan shortly after they were married. Born in 1970 in Austin, TX, Hawke moved to the Northeast with his mother but spent his summers in Fort Worth with his dad. His grandfather even served in the Texas House of Representatives for 10 years. He has deep Texas roots that he is proud of. 

Hilary Duff

Lizzie McGuire star Hilary Duff is another Texas girl. Born in Houston, her family also spent time in San Antonio before moving to California when Duff was still young to pursue her acting career. Boy did that pay off quickly! 

Jennifer Love Hewitt

From a young age, Jennifer Love Hewitt was showing off her talents, singing and dancing across Texas, where she was born in 1979. Eventually, even the Lone Star State could not contain her and she moved to LA with her family, where she soon landed her first starring role on the legendary Party Of Five, after having roles on the Disney Channel and elsewhere as a kid. 

Eva Longoria

Born in Corpus Christi, TX in 1975, Eva Longoria has always been proud of her Tejano roots. In fact, her ancestry and culture are so important to her that she returned to college to earn a Master's degree in Chicano studies from Cal State-Northridge.

Forest Whitaker

Though he went to high school in Los Angeles, Forest Whitaker's life began in Longview, Texas. Every summer of his youth, he spent time with his grandparents in Longview and still has family all over Texas. 

Taylor Sheridan

It's no surprise that Taylor Sheridan is from Texas. While he was actually born in North Carolina, the Yellowstone creator is the definition of a true Texan. Not only did he grow up in Fort Worth, but he owns a working ranch in the Lone Star state called 6666 Ranch. He and his family live in Weatherford, Texas.

Farrah Fawcett

She might have had the reputation of being the all-American blonde from California, but Farrah Fawcett was born and raised in Texas. After high school in Corpus Christi, she attended the University of Texas before heading to Hollywood where she immediately started landing acting and modeling jobs. Once she scored her role on Charlie's Angels, the rest is history. 

Isaiah Washington

Controversial actor Isaiah Washington's most prominent role was in the first three seasons of Grey's Anatomy. Since then, he's worked on numerous films and TV shows, before announcing his retirement in 2023. He was born and raised in Houston. 

William Jackson Harper

Star of The Good Place William Jackson Harper is a native Texan, born in Dallas and raised in Garland, TX, where he first started acting in high school. His Texas-sized determination kept him going when he struggled early in his career, before finding a starring role on the Kristen Bell-led sitcom. 

Dakota Johnson

It might be surprising to learn that despite being the daughter of Hollywood royalty, Dakota Johnson was born in Texas. She was born to Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson in Austin while her father shot a movie in the Lone Star State. The star was then raised in Los Angeles, of course, but Austin will always be where she came into this world. Since then, she's built a great career. 

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin

Steven James Anderson loves his home state so much, that he took a name based on its capital, Austin. Better known as "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, the WWE superstar was, in fact, born in Austin, though he was raised mostly in Edna, TX. The wrestler still owns property in the state, Broken Skull Ranch, near Tilden, TX. It's not like he hides his love for the state either, as one of his many nicknames is "The Texas Rattlesnake."

Gary Busey

People sometimes forget that Gary Busey was once nominated for an Oscar for playing Texan Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story, and the actor also hails from Holly's home state. Busey was born in the Houston area; Baytown, Texas, to be exact. He moved to Oklahoma in elementary school and it was in Tulsa that the enigmatic actor began his show biz career. One of his first big breaks in Hollywood was a TV show that was set in Texas called, appropriately, The Texas Wheelers.

Gina Carano

Gina Carano was controversially dismissed from The Mandalorian and whether you agree with the decision or not, it's hard to argue that the MMA star brought a little bit of that strong individualism Texas is known for to the role and her career. Something that might be inherent in her, as she was born in Dallas County Texas.

Shaquille O'Neal

Texas is a huge state, with a lot of personality, so it only makes sense that a celebrity who's physically large and has a personality to match would hail from the state. Shaquille O’Neal is an Army brat, so he moved around a lot as a kid, including being born in New Jersey. It's in Texas, however, where the world started to pay attention to O'Neal as he became a standout basketball star, eventually becoming a top college recruit and going to LSU for school. He was drafted into the NBA as the #1 overall pick in 1992, and the rest is history.  

Robin Wright

Robin Wright might be best known for playing a Washington insider on House Of Cards and a Buttercup in The Princess Bride, but before all that, she was born in Dallas in 1966. Her parents divorced when she was young and her family moved to Southern California, but for those two years, she was a Texan. 

Michael Strahan

He first made a name for himself playing football in New York, and now he's known for hosting Good Morning America in New York, but Michael Strahan is a born and bred Texan. He was born in Houston, and went to high school there, though for a little while he lived with his family in Germany where his father was stationed in the Army. 

There you have it, a list that proves everything is, indeed, bigger in Texas. The toast, the steer, the plains, and the stars. Not just the stars in the sky, but the stars in Hollywood and beyond. Few states can compete with the Lone Star state when it comes to star power. 

Spoilers below for those who haven’t yet watched The Mandalorian’s premiere, so be warned!

At long, long last, one of the biggest and best reasons to pay for a Disney+ subscription is back in front of our eyeholes, with The Mandalorian having kicked off its third season with big action sequences, big plans for Pedro Pascal’s helmeted hero, and a big ol’ chair for Katee Sackhoff’s Bo-Katan to lounge in while engaging in Darksaber-related brooding. The premiere brought several fan-favorite Mandalorian characters to the forefront, while also introducing new creatures and details into the mix, but understandably missing from the episode was fellow badass Cara Dune, with portrayer Gina Carano having been fired from the series over controversial social media posts back in February 2021. 

That said, the episode somewhat surprisingly didn’t just ignore the character’s existence outright, and did indeed drop an update in there so that fans could know Cara is still out there making a mess of whoever gets in her way. Check out how the was referenced below, as well as executive producer Dave Filoni and director Rick Famuyiwa’s insights into that narrative choice. 

The Mandalorian's Season 3 Premiere Update For Cara Dune

The last time Star Wars fans saw Gina Carano’s Cara Dune was the last time anyone had watched a proper Mandalorian episode — though Pascal’s character did return for more story building within The Book of Boba Fett — back in the Season 2 finale, which featured the bombshell reveal of Mark Hamill’s de-aged Luke Skywalker. The premiere, titled “The Apostate,” fittingly tapped into its Cara Dune update after Mando arrived on Nevarro and reconnected with Carl Weathers’ Greef Karga, who was all smiles in his updated role as the planet’s high magistrate.

After it’s made clear that Greef’s new role hasn’t exactly ceased all villainous encounters, he voiced the need for a good marshal without Cara around anymore. Mando inquired about her current situation, which was explained as:

Not the most detailed explanation, obviously, but clearly one that could be introduced into The Mandalorian’s continuity without stepping on any other plot points and causing disarray. And really, it’s not like Moff Gideon himself received far lengthier exposition, with Greef revealing Giancarlo Esposito’s villain was shipped off to a New Republic war tribunal. That detail will no doubt be explored further as the season goes on, though we likely shouldn’t hold out hope for another in-person Cara Dune appearance, even though there's a slight chance for a reprisal.

The Mandalorian EPs Talk Addressing Gina Carano's Character

Speaking with Deadline ahead of The Mandalorian's premiere, Star Wars storytelling genius Dave Filoni addressed the idea of Cara Dune's continued reign within the overall Star Wars timeline, and whether or not she could show up again. 

Considering The Mandalorian's first two seasons featured largely sporadic appearances from all characters outside of Mando and Grogu, there weren't any guarantees that Cara Dune would have been a major plot anchor in Season 3 anyway, even though it's likely the case. It's hard to know how things would have shaped out had Carano avoided any and all social media posts between seasons, but it did seem like the sky was the limit for her tales. To the point where Cara Dune was reportedly front and center for a Rangers of the New Republic spinoff, which faded away once she was fired. 

So was Dave Filoni merely teasing the idea that "The Apostate" featured a verbal update for Cara, or will there be any further evolving for her story? While Carano has been outspoken in the past about the firing, and how she felt she was "head-hunted" by Disney execs, she's also maintained her love and respect for co-star Pedro Pascal, and has largely had nothing but good things to say about the Star Wars universe and her experiences while filming. So it's not impossible to think that she could have been asked to return to film a brief cameo, assuming she would even be interested in returning.

But as premiere director and EP Rick Famuyiwa explained it, we shouldn't forget that this is The Mandalorian after all, so the story is going to stay rooted to him and Grogu regardless of what Cara Dune is up to out there. 

Now that we know what the former(ish?) bounty hunter is up to out there in the universe, we can hone in our questions to the events in the premiere. Such as "whattup with Bo-Katan not being all hungry for the Darksaber now?" And "how long before we get confirmation about a new spinoff and Disney World park focusing on Anzellan droid smiths?"

Whoopi Goldberg makes headlines related to stuff she’s said on The View a fair amount, but this week thoughts she gave on the show went a little more viral than usual. This is because Goldberg shared a controversial opinion about The Holocaust not being about race, comments her co-hosts vociferously disagreed with and that led ABC to issue a two-week suspension for the star. Other celebrities and TV personalities have weighed in since the episode aired, and Gina Carano is one person who can now be added to the bunch. 

In a post on social media, Gina Carano sent her “love out to the Jewish community” with a heart emoji, also sharing what seems to be a suggestion to Whoopi Goldberg about how she handled her own Holocaust-related Internet snafu. She said on Twitter: 

The Ben Shapiro that Carano is writing about is a conservative commentator. He’s also Jewish, and according to the former Disney+ star, he helped her to see how her comments were hurtful after she’d been fired by the Mouse House early last year. In fact, it was Shapiro’s site who offered her her first post-Mandalorian gig at the Daily Wire following her firing. Since then, Carano has added other projects to her resumé, but she has not been asked to return to the Star Wars universe. 

It might seem a little odd that the former MMA fighter would weigh in on something related to The View, but ABC is owned by Disney, and the conversation was on topic for the star, who was also let go following a post she’d shared about The Holocaust. The former The Mandalorian star has spoken out several times about the incident, but after her comments related to Whoopi Goldberg rolled around, Gina Carano also took to Twitter to discuss what she feels journalists are getting right and wrong about her own previous online activity. She wrote:

Meanwhile, Whoopi Goldberg has been in hot water for stating The Holocaust was “not about race” and insisting that Jews and Nazis were “white people doing it to white people.” She later apologized, saying that she misunderstood why her comments were hurtful to others, though behind the scenes, reports have alleged that she’s unhappy with the way ABC has handled what happened. You can see a portion of her apology, below.

In the time since, major personalities including AOC, Anthony Anderson and former The View host Megan McCain have commented about what happened on the episode, continuing the conversation. McCain, though she butted heads with Whoopi during her time on the show, personally wrote that Whoopi Goldberg is the “crown jewel” of The View and should not be “fired” over what happened, though she felt the comments were problematic. Whoopi still has a some time left on her two-week suspension, though it will be interesting to see how The View ultimately handles her return to the TV schedule.  

At this point, The Mandalorian has easily solidified itself as one of the hottest shows on television. In only two seasons, the series has taken the Star Wars franchise to new heights by telling compelling stories and introducing intriguing characters. It’s also managed to earn a number of high-profile award wins and nominations in the process. With such success, it was no surprise that Disney+ put several spinoffs into development, including Rangers of the New Republic. It would now seem that the show could be cancelled, though there is still some good news in the midst of this. 

Rangers of the New Republic was originally announced during the company’s presentation at Disney Investor Day in late 2020. Though specific plot details were not explicitly confirmed, it was widely reported that the show would thrust Gina Carano’s Cara Dune into the lead role. Plans for the project likely changed, however, after Carano was dismissed from the studio for a social media post that was deemed “abhorrent and unacceptable.” By May 2021, reports suggested that the project was no longer in active development. 

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy recently provided an update and confirmed that there hadn’t actually been much movement on the Star Wars series. Nevertheless, the producer went on to suggest that those ideas could materialize in another form:

Though the studio head didn’t explicitly confirm the project’s cancellation, her comments to Empire (via IGN) do seem to indicate that the project is, at the very least, close to being discarded. But if what she says does come to pass, The Mandalorian could still allow those ideas to see the light of day, which is great to hear. It would certainly be different from what fans may have initially imagined, but they could surely work in the context of the parent show. 

Over its first two seasons, the acclaimed series has increasingly given hints as to how the New Republic operates. Season 1 featured cameos from a few of the fledgling government’s pilots, played by series directors Deborah Chow and Rick Famuyiwa as well as producer Dave Filoni. Season 2 then took the next step by introducing another pilot in a bigger role and having Cara Dune join up with the organization as a marshal. The latter plot point surely seemed to be teeing off things for the spinoff series. 

Rangers of the New Republic’s fate is definitely up in the air at this point but, luckily fans have other Mando-related shows to look forward to. December will mark the release of The Book of Boba Fett, which will continue the adventures of the titular bounty hunter and his right-hand woman, Fennec Shand. Also, viewers will eventually catch up with Jedi Ahsoka Tano in her own self-titled series, which appears to be resolving a major plot point from Star Wars Rebels. So things look good for the Mando timeline and its chances of repurposing Rangers’ story ideas.

The first spinoff of The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, hits Disney+ on December 29, and you can stream the parent series ahead of the premiere.

Gina Carano has been making quite a few career moves in recent weeks. The former MMA star and lead in The Mandalorian was fired from that role after making controversial comments on the social media platform Twitter back in February. Subsequently, however, she hasn’t had a ton of problems finding more work and this week she announced the latest project she’s been filming, also touching on getting cancelled in her message. 

In an announcement, Gina Carano opened up about joining the cast of the new movie, called My Son Hunter, and how it happened. In fact, she straight-up mentions that the director of the film actually had reached out to her after she was “cancelled” for comments she made online that ultimately led to her exit from the Disney+ series The Mandalorian. 

Carano’s My Son Hunter role joins a lengthy list of projects she has signed on for since she was -- as she put it here -- cancelled. Shortly after Gina Carano was let go by Disney, the actress signed on for a role with Daily Wire to develop an exclusive project that ultimately became the already-filmed Terror on the Prairie. In the time since, she also landed a role in a thriller about a woman who survives a murder attempt by a serial killer who is also a trucker. The Hunter/Joe Biden project is yet another movie role she can add to her upcoming slate. 

The full YouTube post also included Gina Carano sharing her feelings on her career at this moment, with the actress noting she is in a positive place in her career despite getting fired from a major role in the Star Wars Universe. 

After Gina Carano made a comment on Twitter likening being a conservative in America to being a Jewish person living under the Nazi regime, Lucasfilm reacted strongly to her comments. The company said earlier in 2021 that her comments on social media were “abhorrent” in a statement.

Prior to this, there was every indication that Cara Dune, the character the actress portrayed on The Mandalorian, would be back for the third season of the Pedro Pascal show. There was some speculation the character could live on in other projects, perhaps a Rangers of the New Republic series, as well. Those roles are no longer in the cards for Gina Carano, but it sounds as if she is working to move past what happened. She's previously already spoken out and said she still holds her Mandalorian co-stars, including Pedro Pascal, in high regard as well. 

The Mandalorian is going to look a bit different when it returns to Disney+ for its third season, as it’ll be without one of its key stars, Gina Carano (who played Cara Dune). As many probably remember, the star was fired from Lucasfilm earlier this year following controversial social media posts. Since then, the actress has still come up in conversations related to the show, though. As a matter of fact, when discussing his work on the Star Wars series at a recent convention, Moff Gideon actor Giancarlo Esposito referred to Carano as his favorite co-star. With this, the actress has now responded her former co-star’s praise. 

It was during his appearance at Fan EXPO Denver (via Joe Turner) that the Breaking Bad alum made his feelings known. Eventually, those comments made their way to the actress herself, and she took to her Twitter account to send some love back to her former collaborator. Check out the tweet for yourself down below: 

After being asked about his favorite co-star, Giancarlo Esposito seemed to subtly acknowledge that his answer could be a bit controversial. Nevertheless, he went on to discuss what he enjoyed most about working with his colleague:

Gina Carano was let go from The Mandalorian and Lucasfilm as a whole after sharing social media posts that were deemed “abhorrent and unacceptable” by the studio. Shortly after, the actress alleged that she was “bullied” by the company and its parent corporation, Disney. She claimed that she was being “head-hunted” and seemed to insinuate that the studio was looking for a reason to fire her. 

Prior to the post that led to the termination of her contract, Carano had previously come under fire for other posts. On one occasion, she published messages in which she seemed to mock people’s use of pronouns. She also shared anti-mask and social distancing sentiments in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

After her firing, the former MMA fighter actually saw an increase in her social media following, as it was reported at the time that she’d gained 150k followers since being let go. At present, she’s teamed up with conservative news outlet The Daily Wire to produce and star in film projects. The first on that slate, Terror on the Prairie, is now in development and will mark the performer’s first post-Mandalorian acting gig.

It would seem that Gina Carano holds no ill will towards her co-stars following everything that’s happened. She also previously showed love to the show’s lead actor, Pedro Pascal, after her departure from the series. All in all, it would seem that there’s mutual respect among the current and former residents of the galaxy far, far away. It’s currently unclear as to how the producers plan to handle the absence of Carano’s character for Season 3, and it’ll be interesting to see how things pan out in that regard.

After scoring notable supporting roles in movies like Fast & Furious 6 and Deadpool, Gina Carano’s acting career received a major boost when she was cast as Cara Dune for Disney+’s The Mandalorian. Carano appeared as the former Rebel shock trooper-turned-mercenary-turned-New Republic marshal for The Mandalorian’s first two seasons, but she was fired by Lucasfilm in February 2021 after sharing controversial posts on social media. Now Carano has kicked her first gig after exiting the popular Star Wars series. 

In the immediate weeks after being fired from The Mandalorian, Gina Carano revealed she’d be working with conservative media company The Daily Wire on developing movies, and over a year later, we now know what the first movie from this slate is called and what it’ll be about. Per Deadline, the Western thriller Terror on the Prairie will follow a pioneering family that must fight back against a band of vicious outlaws that’s terrorizing them on their new farm in the plains of Montana. The movie will be released exclusively to members of The Daily Wire’s website in the United States in spring 2022, and Voltage Pictures will handle the international release.

Along with starring in Terror on the Prairie, Gina Carano is also attached as a producer. Her cast-mates include Justified’s Nick Searcy, MMA star Cowboy Cerrone, stand-up comedian Tyler Fischer, Skateland’s Heath Freeman and The O.C.’s Samaire Armstrong, among others. Behind the cameras, Northfork’s Michael Polish is directing off a script written by newcomer Josiah Nelson. No specific filming start date was announced, but production is being fast-tracked.

It’s worth noting that while Terror on the Prairie will be Gina Carano’s first post-The Mandalorian acting gig, it wasn’t the first project she was announced to be starring in following her time in the Star Wars franchise. Originally the plan was for Carano to resurface on-camera in White Knuckle, which also hails from The Daily Wire and is about a woman who survives an attempt on her life by a trucker serial killer and teams up with another trucker to hunt down her assailant after the police fail to apprehend him. White Knuckle is still in development, but will instead shoot during 2022’s first quarter, with Terror on the Prairie now being prioritized.

Gina Carano’s Cara Dune performance was widely praised during The Mandalorian’s first two seasons, and rumor has it she was intended to be the focus of the Rangers of the New Republic series. However, after Carano generated controversy from her social media activity, which included mocking people wearing masks during the COVID-19 pandemic and comparing the political climate to Nazi Germany, Lucasfilm announced that the actress was no longer employed by the company. There are also no plans to recast Cara Dune, so unless Lucasfilm changes its mind, The Mandalorian Season 2 finale, a.k.a. “Chapter 16: The Rescue,” will be the last time we see her.

While we wait for more news on Gina Carano’s work on Terror on the Prairie and her other professional endeavors, catch up to speed on what the franchise set in a galaxy far, far away with our upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows guide.

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The Mandalorian is going to look a bit different when it eventually returns for its third season, as the show will be without one of its primary characters, Cara Dune. This, of course, stems from the firing of actress Gina Carano, who was let go from Lucasfilm due to “abhorrent and unacceptable” social media posts. Though the company confirmed it has no plans to recast her role, fans subsequently called for Lucy Lawless to replace Carano. While such love from the public would seemingly be a good thing, Lawless believes the fan demands may have cost her another opportunity

The Xena: Warrior Princess alum recently revealed that she had actually been in talks for a different Star Wars project when the Cara Dune fancasts began to surface. The calls for her casting were strong at the time, with many even posting artwork of her as the New Republic officer. Lucy Lawless, who’s not completely certain of Lucasfilm’s reasons for not hiring her, has reasoned that the company likely didn’t want to cater to a certain portion of its fanbase:

Ahead of her firing, Gina Carano, who has a large following on social media, received backlash for several posts at different points in 2020. At one time, she came under fire for tweeting anti-mask and social distancing sentiments amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She was also called out last November for sharing voter fraud theories following the U.S. presidential election. The post that ultimately led to her ousting at Lucasfilm was a TikTok post in which she compared the current political climate to Nazi-era Germany.

Lucy Lawless further stated to Metro.co.uk that she herself became “political” even though she was not directly involved with Gina Carano’s firing. Still, she feels that the initial calls for her casting came from a positive place:

It’s hard to deny that Lucy Lawless would’ve been a prime fit for the franchise, and one can’t help but wonder what role she was being considered for. With the large slate of Star Wars TV shows on the horizon, it wouldn’t be hard to believe that she was in the running for a role in a project like Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka. New series like that one are slated to eventually hit Disney+, which you can sign up for using this link.

Lucasfilm has yet to give any concrete details on The Mandalorian Season 3 though, with production reportedly starting up soon, news could drop in the near future. There are plenty of questions that need to be answered, yet I’m sure viewers will be most eager to learn what becomes of Gina Carano’s Cara Dune.

Gina Carano joined one of the most successful franchises in entertainment history when she landed the role of Cara Dune in The Mandalorian, but her future in Star Wars isn't going to extend to spinoffs or movies or even more Mandalorian. Carano was fired following Season 2 due to controversial comments on social media, with no signs of any chance of being brought back to reprise the role despite some possible trolling from the actress. Now, Carano is moving forward and landed her first post-Mandalorian project, and it's pretty perfectly on brand.

The former Mandalorian actress will star in an upcoming movie that will see her playing a character looking for revenge. Deadline reports that the movie, which has yet to receive a title, will be an action thriller centered on a woman who survived an attempt on her life by a trucker serial killer, and instead of being defeated by her trauma, hires a long-haul trucker to try and track the killer down and stop him for good. Spurred on by memories of what happened to her and law enforcement failures to get the killer behind bars, she'll clearly be very highly motivated.

In the grand scheme of things, it sounds like the project will be action-heavy for Gina Carano, which is right up her alley, based on her past work. Carano is producing as well as starring in the untitled movie, with filming set to begin in October and take place in Montana, Tennessee, and Utah. Given that this is Carano's first project since The Mandalorian and getting fired by Disney couldn't be good for anybody's career, producing her own project may have been her best option for her first followup.

The project will reportedly have similarities to True Grit, Duel, and Breakdown, which do deal with various forms of revenge and road-based crimes. The movie will be based on the Eric Red novel called White Knuckle, with Red writing the script. Red has experience with penning scripts for the big screen, with the horror films Near Dark and The Hitcher under his belt. The Hitcher actually had a plot with some similar elements to the Gina Carano project, centered on a young man who is stalked by a murderous hitchhiker after escaping from him.

Gina Carano has been pretty definitively cut from the Star Wars universe and Disney brand, with Carano reportedly removed from a Nat Geo appearance after her firing, and the Mandalorian spinoff said to feature her no longer in active development, but neither her firing nor her social media comments resulted in a universal drop in popularity. In fact, Carano got even more popular on social media after being fired, although it's worth noting that she also probably wound up on more social media users' radar after her firing due to Twitter trends and media coverage, even for those who don't watch The Mandalorian.

Her comments about her firing certainly don't indicate that there's any chance of her being invited back as Cara Dune in any project, even though she was included in Disney's awards campaign as revealed back in June. The Star Wars definitely isn't going anywhere, with The Book of Boba Fett as the first Mandalorian spinoff planned for a release before the end of the year, and plenty of more action in that galaxy far, far away on the way in the coming years. As for Gina Carano, her future involves the film featuring a murderous trucker.

While Star Wars drama is usually tied to fans' opinions about certain projects within the franchise, the Disney-owned pop culture phenom was at the center of a very different form of controversy earlier in 2021 after firing The Mandalorian star Gina Carano for problematic social media posts. That decision reportedly came as a huge shock to Carano, as well as the fanbase, and development was eventually halted on the planned spinoff Rangers of the New Republic, in which Carano's Cara Dune was expected to serve as a lead character. So with all that mess, one might not think Disney would be embracing the use of Carano in For Your Consideration Emmy campaigning, and yet...

It looks like Disney+ opted to set up four of its Mandalorian stars for Emmy campaigns on the acting front, with Gina Carano joined in that respect by Pablo Pascal (as lead actor), Giancarlo Esposito (supporting) and Temuera Morrison (supporting). But while it's not all that unusual for actors to submit their own names and performances for Emmy consideration, as it was done in recent years past by Game of Thrones stars such as Gwendoline Christie, it's a bit more odd for a project to promote an FYC campaign for an actor without even telling them that it's happening.

It appears as if that's the case with Gina Carano's Emmy promotions, however. A rep for Carano told Vanity Fair this:

This isn't exactly a situation where Disney is quietly pushing a Gina Carano-flavored promotional campaign out by the dead of night, with only silence and darkness as its guideposts. The mega-studio has been running ads of all kinds, with some featuring Carano's Cara Dune quite heavily. But apparently no one from Disney's side has reached out to Carano herself about any of it.

Considering how surprisingly well The Mandalorian did gearing up for the 2020 Primetime Emmys, landing the coveted nom for Best Drama Series on top of all the creative-based nominations, it's perhaps not altogether surprising that Disney is putting all of its cards on the table this time around, to see if it can stock the field with even more Star Wars franchise vets. It's unknown, however, whether or not the voting community will agree with the idea that Gina Carano pulled off some of the best acting in all of television with Mandalorian Season 2.

Strangely enough, Gina Carano recently shared some sci-fi imagery on social media that had many fans believing that she would be returning to the Star Wars universe in some way, even though the imagery itself was not franchise-related. The extremely public fallout between Disney and the actress makes it seem extremely unlikely that such a reconnection will ever take place, but the fact that the company is still touting Carano's performance for awards consideration makes it seem like someone there still finds value in the Carano connection.

At this point, we can only wait and see what happens with Disney's Emmy love, and whether or not Gina Carano will be part of the nominations when they're announced later this year. In the meantime, fans can find her and the rest of The Mandalorian's crew in the first two seasons streaming now on Disney+  while waiting for the 2021 Summer TV season's biggest hits.

As the actress behind one of the most controversial TV firings in recent years, former Mandalorian star Gina Carano is obviously no stranger to inciting strong internet reactions with her social media posts. Such was the case again very recently, with Carano sharing a mysterious and context-free image that stoked fans' hopes that she may have been welcomed back into the Star Wars universe. But what's the real deal here?

While several of Gina Carano's other recent Twitter posts were tied to the world of Mixed Martial Arts, not to mention the most classic of Risky Business clips, the former brawler raised more than a few Star Wars fans' eyebrows by sharing the sci-fi-leaning picture below.

While there's nothing there that directly indicates anything involving Star Wars, the comment section below Gina Carano's tweet quickly began filling up with fans making assumptions that Disney reversed course on firing her and is bringing her back into the Mandalorian's fold in one way or another. Not everyone was so optimistic, mind you, as there are definitely more than a few commenters still virulently ruing the day that Disney decided to fire Carano for various problematic posts. But by and large, Star Wars speculation ran amok.

I mean, it's hard not to automatically jump into a Star Wars train of thought after seeing that picture. The general image of "main character approaching the horizon of a unique landscape" is basically a poster trope now for science fiction projects, with The Mandalorian and other franchise releases utilizing it in one form or another. (It would have been more convincing had the figure in Carano's image been holding a weapon, but still.) Plus, the visual of a planet with multiple suns immediately brings Tatooine's dual stars to mind, even if it kinda seems scientifically impossible for this planet in question to exist.

Alas, while it's hard to know what Gina Carano's motivations were in sharing the pic, it's 99.99% not a legitimate indication that she'll be returning to the Star Wars universe. The design is actually a piece of artwork from a digital artist who goes by the name Stuz0r, who specializes in eye-catching sci-fi-heavy imagery of this sort. And while many fans would probably love it if the artist was tapped to lead the visual FX team for The Mandalorian Season 3, with Carano tapped to return as Cara Dune, it's probably best to keep those hopes safely stored away for the time being.

Star Wars' next move on Disney+, once The Bad Batch has wrapped up, will be to bring back everybody's other favorite bounty hunter with The Book of Boba Fett, which reportedly finished filming recently with stars Ming Na-Wen and Temuera Morrison. The Mandalorian isn't set to start filming until later this year, meaning viewers won't get to see Pedro Pascal's return until some point in 2022. And let's not forget that the biggest blow to the possibility of Gina Carano's return came with the reveal that Disney+ is no longer developing the spinoff Rangers of the Republic, which was rumored to be a starring vehicle for Carano's Cara Dune.

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There’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to the future of the Star Wars franchise. While George Lucas’ beloved galaxy will continue to thrill audiences through the big screen, it’s also expanded to television in a big way. Disney+’s The Mandalorian has earned plenty of fans and acclaim since kicking off its run in 2019, so it’s no surprise that Lucasfilm and Disney are currently developing spinoff shows. However, it would seem that one of those previously announced shows is no longer in the works.

During Disney’s Investor Day last December, Lucasfilm announced a number of Star Wars productions, including three shows that would serve as direct spinoffs of The Mandalorian. These shows were confirmed to be The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka and Rangers of the New Republic. But according to Variety, Rangers of the New Republic is no longer in active development.

Specific details weren’t given on Rangers of the New Republic but, as the title implies, it was set to shine a spotlight on the characters working to bring order back to the galaxy in the name of the New Republic. The show was also meant to crossover with The Mandalorian, Ahsoka and The Book of Boba Fett for a major story event.

While Lucasfilm has neither officially confirmed the status of Rangers of the New Republic nor confirmed the reason for it no longer being in active development, the move is likely connected to the dismissal of Gina Carano. Previous reports seemed to indicate that Carano’s Cara Dune, who became a Marshal for the New Republic in Season 2, was going to be the lead. However, the actress was fired from Lucasfilm earlier this year after posting controversial messages to social media. The studio also confirmed that her character would not be recast in the wake of the firing.

Fans are sure to be disappointed by the news of Rangers of the New Republic no longer being in development. However, there’s still a chance it could see the light of day at some point in the future, as Lucasfilm could decide to retool the show in a way that still fits into the story the producers are hoping to tell. Doing so may not be easy but, if anyone could do it, it would be Star Wars guru Dave Filoni.

We’ll just have to wait and see if or how things play out for Rangers of the New Republic. But at the very least, fans can still look forward to the plethora of other Mandalorian-related shows headed their way in the near future.

The Mandalorian is available to stream on Disney+, which you can sign up for using this link. And be sure to catch The Book of Boba Fett when it hits the streaming service this December.

Since the firing of Gina Carano, Disney and Lucasfilm have reportedly had to make a few changes. Carano’s character on The Mandalorian, Cara Dune, will likely be written, and reports suggest the character will be replaced in the spinoff series Rangers of the New Republic. Hasbro has also stopped production on Cara Dune action figures in the wake of the star’s dismissal. Now, it’s been reported that one of Carano’s TV appearances has been removed from Disney+’s schedule.

Nat Geo’s Running Wild with Bear Gryllis will soon be returning for its sixth season, which is due to drop on the network and Disney+. When the listing for the new episodes officially dropped (via What’s New on Disney Plus), Gina Carano was listed as one of the actors slated to appear in the star-studded season. Carano even posted about her experience filming with Gryllis. But now, recently released episode guides from sites like TVMaze exclude Gina Carano’s episode.

Gina Carano’s episode of Running Wild With Bear Gryllis would have seen the pair venture to the Dolomites mountain range in Italy. The actress also mentioned in her Twitter post that she “faced some fears” during the experience.

Lucasfilm severed ties with Gina Carano last month after the actress posted a message on social media that appeared to compare the current political to Nazi Germany. Carano said she found out about the two companies’ decision through social media. The cast and crew of The Mandalorian have mostly stayed quiet on the situation, though Bill Burr did provide some blunt thoughts.

Gina Carano had previously come under fire for her social media activity, which saw her share posts expressing anti-mask sentiments during the ongoing pandemic and election-related posts including voter fraud conspiracy theories. She also received backlash for posts that were deemed transphobic. In the past, acknowledged her social media presence, saying that she knows her opinions are not for everyone, while also stating that she would aim to focus on the more positive responses to her messages.

Since her dismissal, Gina Carano has spoken on her experiences with Disney and Lucasfilm. In her first interview after the firing, she claimed she was one of several people who had been bullied by the corporation and studio. She also believes she was being “head-hunted” while working for the company.

Gina Carano appears to have maintained a steady amount of support from fans, judging by her social media following. Shortly after she was let go, she also landed a job with The Daily Wire, and she’s currently set to develop, produce and star in a new film for the media company.

At this time, neither Disney nor National Geographic have officially confirmed the removal of Gina Carano’s episode. The new season of Running Wild with Bear Gryllis premieres on March 29.

There have been plenty of reactions to Gina Carano being fired from The Mandalorian by Lucasfilm. While there are many who stand by Lucasfilm's decision and were even behind the movement to get her fired, a number of fans seem to stand with Carano, and she has even gained a good amount of followers since the debacle. The MMA fighter-turned-actress' Mandalorian co-stars have been relatively quiet on the subject of her termination. But now, it would seem that Bill Burr, who plays Migs Mayfield on the Disney+ series, has now spoken out and shared some very blunt (and admittedly on-brand) thoughts on the situation.

The topic of Gina Carano’s firing came up in an episode of Bill Burr and Bert Kreischer’s podcast, The Bill and Bert Podcast. Burr is a comedian known for his blunt and somewhat controversial thoughts. So it makes sense that Carano’s firing could make him a little uncomfortable with his own future on The Mandalorian. During the episode, Burr says he now feels that he may have to watch what he says moving forward. Here it is in the comedian’s own words:

Bill Burr covers a lot of topics and makes jokes on controversial matters, but things may be a little different now that he’s in a major franchise like Star Wars. The Mandalorian has a huge following going into its third season, and there's a chance Burr wants to remain part of the franchise going forward. It’s a huge part for anyone, even someone as established as Burr, even if it is a bit of a genre leap for the star.

Bill Burr's desire to not rock the boat of his current place (and potential future) in the Star Wars franchise may be the reason that he intially seems to not want to delve too far into the controversy surrounding Gina Carano. However, the F is For Family star did go on to defend Carano’s character and state his belief that he could end even up under fire next. In Burr’s own words:

Bill Burr is referring to the fact that Gina Carano’s Cara Dune action figure has been pulled from shelves following her firing. Based on Burr's comments, he seems to be speaking less about the details surrounding Carano’s firing and more about cancel culture in general. Times are indeed crazy right now, with the political climate in America over the last few years in addition to the pandemic -- and how people have taken sides regarding safety regulations.

Cancel culture has been a heavily debated topic over the past several years and, while many have been critical of the effects it appears to have on some star's careers, there are those who aren't heavily affected by it. Gina Carano may have been fired from Lucasfilm and all future Star Wars franchise projects, but the nearly undefeated MMA fighter’s film career is nowhere near over. Meanwhile, Bill Burr also has a following from his comedy career so, even if we for some reason don’t see his bald head on future Star Wars projects, there's still a firm chance he'll be sticking around in Hollywood in some way.

The first two seasons of The Mandalorian are currentlly streaming on Disney+.

The Mandalorian has already been entertaining enough for Star Wars fans, but the franchise’s presence on the small screen is only just beginning. Spinoff shows are also on the way like, Rangers of the New Republic. While not much is known about the show at the moment, reports recently suggested it was conceived as a starring vehicle for Gina Carano’s Cara Dune. Because the actress is no longer employed by Lucasfilm, plans will likely change and, according to a new rumor the studio may be looking to bring in a Star Wars Rebels character to take the lead.

If a recent report is to be believed, Lucasfilm is reportedly looking to bring in Star Wars Rebels alum Hera Syndulla as the lead of Rangers of the New Republic. Per LRM Online, the creatives are allegedly having a tough time linking the new show to The Mandalorian without Cara Dune. As we learned at last year’s Disney Investor Day, these new shows are set to lead to a massive event, so some kind of Mando connection is vital. For those unfamiliar with Hera Syndulla, you can check her out down below:

Gina Carano was recently let go from Lucasfilm after she posted a social media message that seemed to compare the current political climate to that of Nazi-era Germany. The actress has since spoken out about the firing, saying she was “bullied” by Disney and was being “head-hunted.”

Hera Syndulla was originally introduced back in 2014 in the first season of Star Wars Rebels as the ace pilot of the Ghost crew, a faction of the Rebel Alliance. Hera would strike a chord with fans, and she has since appeared in other Star Wars media, including comics and video games. She was also name-dropped during the live-action film Rogue One. By the end of Rebels, it was revealed that she remained with the alliance and eventually gave birth to son Jacen, her child with late Jedi Kanan Jarrus.

While this new rumor should be taken with a grain of salt at this point, bringing Hera into Rangers of the New Republic would make a lot of sense. Given her past affiliation with the Rebel Alliance, it stands to reason she would join up with the New Republic after the fall of the Galactic Empire. She would theoretically be a seasoned vet by the events of Rangers, so that would make her perfect as a mentor-type figure to any new supporting characters on the show. Plus, it would give fans the chance to learn what becomes of Syndulla’s potentially Force-sensitive son.

Producer Dave Filoni has also shown no hesitation when it comes to bringing animated Star Wars characters into the live-action realm. We’ve already seen Ahsoka Tano, played by Rosario Dawson, on The Mandalorian, and there are rumors that her spinoff could even bring in another major Rebels character.

We’ll have to wait and see how this development progresses, as production on Rangers of the New Republic is reportedly still a ways off. Until then, fans can speculate on what a Hera Syndulla-led Star Wars show might look like.

Star Wars Rebels is currently available to stream on Disney+.

One of the biggest Star Wars casting shockers occurred on February 11, 2021, when it was announced that The Mandalorian star Gina Carano was no longer employed by Lucasfilm ahead of future seasons and spinoffs. The decision to leave Mando's ass-kicking compadre Cara Dune by the wayside came in response to a particularly divisive social media post that caused an online backlash. Naturally, that reaction inspired its own counter-backlash, with some fans then calling for Mando portrayer Pedro Pascal to get fired over controversial posts from his past. But even though the former co-stars don't see eye to eye on everything, the actress has only kind things to say about Pascal.

For her first big sit-down interview following her Mandalorian ousting, Gina Carano appeared on The Ben Shapiro Show to tell her side of the story in a calm and level-headed manner. While she definitely took some indirect shots at studio execs during the lengthy chat with Shaprio, Carano pointedly played things cooly throughout, as not to appear rant-y or rave-y. When Pedro Pascal's name came up, Carano offered up an earnest and kind appraisal of their relationship. In her words:

The incident that Gina Carano is referring to was Pedro Pascal posting Texas Senator Ted Cruz's publicly listed office phone number on Twitter in January. That post is on a completely different level from the sometimes trollish posts that Carano has taken heat for (and also gained a bigger following for), but everything is relative. In any case, Carano's point in the matter is pointing out that, social media posts aside, she and Pascal were able to see beyond their disagreements in order to build a friendship.

In fact, Gina Carano went on to reflect on "us vs. them" attitudes and said she appreciated Pedro Pascal's commitment to his passions, even if those passions don't necessarily correspond with hers.

Gina Carano definitely doesn't feel the same way about everyone she worked with for The Mandalorian, especially since she reportedly only found out she was fired after seeing it online. Her next project will be alongside Ben Shapiro, as she's teaming up with The Daily Wire for a film that she will develop and produce. It's not likely that Pedro Pascal will join her in this project, but the two friends may one day share the screen again in some way.

Speaking of, though, Pascal was recently tapped to play the starring role of Joel in HBO's upcoming The Last of Us adaptation, with that project reportedly taking precedent over all other gigs. It's likely that Pascal has a way to make his schedule work for both Mandalorian and Last of Us, but it'll be interesting to see how long his Star Wars future is now that the franchise is expanding on Disney+.

Disney+’s The Mandalorian has been an entertainment juggernaut, having achieved acclaim since premiering in 2019, and the show is currently looking towards its third season. However, the Star Wars show recently experienced a bit of drama behind the scenes after Cara Dune actress Gina Carano was fired from the show after posting an “abhorrent” message on social media. Carano has given some details on her departure from Disney and Lucasfilm but, in a new interview, she’s set to discuss the situation in depth. And during the talk, she’ll claim that Disney both “bullied” and “head-hunted” her.

Gina Carano is set to give an interview with The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro, in which she’ll talk about being fired from Disney and Lucasfilm. In a preview, obtained exclusively by Deadline, Carano alleges that she was “bullied” by the entertainment company and claims she isn’t the only one:

Gina Carano was let go by Disney after she posted a message on Instagram that appeared to compare the current political climate to the Holocaust, which led to massive backlash online. This wasn’t the first controversy brought about by the actress’ polarizing social media presence. Last year, Carano came under fire when she made jokes about people’s use of pronouns on their social media accounts. She later apologized in a formal statement. She also stirred up controversy after sharing social media posts that expressed anti-mask sentiments regarding the ongoing pandemic and sharing posts that spread conspiracy theories about voter fraud in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

As the interview clip goes on, Carano states that she was beginning to see the writing on the wall before being fired from The Mandalorian. She says this was especially clear during a situation that involved a Lucasfilm artist:

This interview won’t be the last of Gina Carano’s collaborations with The Daily Wire. She’s currently set to develop, produce and star in an upcoming movie for the conservative outlet.

Gina Carano’s full interview with The Ben Shapiro Show will be released on Sunday, February 21.

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The Mandalorian has been a major feather in Disney+’s cap, as the show has drawn critical acclaim from fans and critics alike and has brought in massive numbers for the streaming service. Of course, the show recently experienced a behind-the-scenes shake-up, as Gina Carano, who played Cara Dune, was fired from the show following “abhorrent” social media posts. The actress has since responded to her dismissal but, now, she’s opening up about how she first learned the news.

Gina Carano was let go by Lucasfilm and Disney after posting a message in her Instagram story that appeared to compare the current political climate to Nazi Germany. However, this wasn’t the first controversy created by the actress’ polarizing social media presence. One of these situations occurred last year when she appeared to mock people’s use of pronouns in their social media profiles. Carano recently recalled how Disney asked her to issue an apology:

Gina Carano further explained to journalist Bari Weiss that as a result of the controversy, she was asked not to participate in the press tour for The Mandalorian Season 2. She says that was the last time she had any official communication with Disney or Lucasfilm, as she later learned of her firing through social media:

Carano received backlash on a few other occasions during her tenure on The Mandalorian. The actress came under scrutiny for sharing posts that expressed ant-mask sentiments in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. She also tweeted out voter fraud theories regarding the 2020 US presidential election.

There have been a few developments since Gina Carano was let go by. At present, she’s been tapped to develop, produce and star in a movie for The Daily Wire. The hope is that the project will “bolster” the brand’s entertainment division. In addition, the actress’ social media following has actually grown, with her Instagram account gaining nearly 150K new users since she was fired.

The first two seasons of The Mandalorian are currently available to stream on Disney+, which you can sign up for using this link.

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It's a good time to be a Star Wars fan, as Disney has brought forth a ton of new content since acquiring Lucasfilm. The Mandalorian is one of the crown jewels of the entire property, but there was a shake-up in the galaxy far, far away with the firing of Cara Dune actress Gina Carano. But despite this professional setback, Carano's social media accounts have only gotten more popular.

Gina Carano made her Star Wars debut in Season 1 of The Mandalorian, quickly becoming a fan-favorite character in the acclaimed series. But Carano soon landed in hot water due to controversial statements expressed on social media. The latest of these resulted in her firing, but there's a silver lining for the actress/martial artist. Namely, because her social media has been picking up.

According to Newsweek, Gina Carano's Instagram account has gained nearly 150K new followers since being let go by Lucasfilm. What's more, her Twitter account got around the same amount of new followers. She's also already started making moves on future projects, leaving Cara Dune's fate in Star Wars a mystery.

Gina Carano's posts on social media have been the subject of controversy for some time. But her most recent seemingly comparing the current political climate to Nazi Germany, ultimately resulted in her firing. This is after her Star Wars character recently returned for Season 2 of The Mandalorian, while also being set up for a spinoff.

The Mandalorian is currently available on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Lucasfilm is putting a ton of focus on its small screen Star Wars content, especially after The Mandalorian became such a sensation. One of the previously announced projects is Rangers of the New Republic, which would have presumably starred Gina Carano as her signature character Cara Dune. It's currently unclear if that show is still in development, and if Lucasfilm is planning on recasting the role following Carano's departure.

Shortly after her firing was made public, Gina Carano announced that she was already working on a new project. Namely, the Deadpool actress has plans to make a movie for conservative news outlet The Daily Wire. It's a departure from the massive franchises she's been on thus far, so we'll have to see exactly how that developing project comes together.

It'll be interesting to see exactly how Lucasfilm deals with Gina Carano's absence moving forward. Will Cara Dune be killed off in the line of her duty as a New Republic Marshal? Or perhaps they'll simply recast the role. After all, Warner Bros. pulled a similar move following the firing of Johnny Depp from Fantastic Beasts 3.

Season 2 of The Mandalorian is currently available in its entirety on Disney+. Be sure to check out our midseason premiere list to plan your next binge watch.

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Whenever The Mandalorian Season 3 premieres on Disney+, it’ll be without a familiar face. On Wednesday night, Lucasfilm announced that Gina Carano, who played Cara Dune, was no longer employed at the company and stated that her recent social media posts “denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable.” So Carano’s time in the Star Wars franchise is over, but less than two full days later, not only has Carano responded to her firing, she also revealed that she’s landed a new project.

Gina Carano is collaborating with conservative news outlet The Daily Wire to develop, produce and star in an upcoming movie that will be released exclusively to the Wire’s members and will help “bolster” the website’s entertainment division. No plot details about this project were revealed, but it will be part of the Wire’s partnership with Bone Tomahawk producer Dallas Sonnier and his Bonfire Legend production company. Here’s what Carano told Deadline about the next chapter of her career:

Although Gina Carano had popped up in blockbuster movies like Fast & Furious 6 and Deadpool, playing Cara Dune in The Mandalorian marked her most high-profile role yet. A former Rebel shock trooper who hailed from Alderaan and became a mercenary after the destruction of the second Death Star, Cara first crossed paths with Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin in the Season 1 episode “Chapter 4: Sanctuary,” and while they didn’t immediately get off on the right foot, they eventually became allies. Cara returned for the final two episodes of The Mandalorian Season 1, and stuck around as a recurring character in Season 2, during which time she not only helped Mando out of a few more jams, but also started working as a Marshal for the New Republic.

However, starting in summer 2020, Gina Carano started grabbing attention for her controversial social media posts, which included sharing voter fraud conspiracies and being accused of transphobia. The controversy hit an all-time high earlier this week when she shared a post that compared being a conservative in the United States to being Jewish during Nazi Germany’s regime. This was evidently the final straw not just for Lucasfilm, but also the UTA talent agency, which dropped Carano as a client soon after her firing from The Mandalorian was announced. But now she’s found a new avenue for her acting work by teaming with The Daily Wire, which acquired and premiered its first movie, Run Hide Fight, last month.

The Mandalorian Season 2 ended in a way that could easily keep Cara Dune’s story going, whether it’s in Season 3, the Rangers of the New Republic series or somewhere else. However, as things stand now, it’s unclear if Lucasfilm is searching for a new actress to play Cara, or if the character will simply be dropped. With The Book of Boba Fett being the next Star Wars show on deck and The Mandalorian Season 3 not expected to begin filming until April, there’s plenty of time for Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni and the other creative minds behind the hit Star Wars series for figure out what to do with Cara one way or another.

The Mandalorian Season 3 doesn’t have a premiere date, but once that and more relevant information is revealed, we’ll be sure to let you know. The Book of Boba Fett will drop on Disney+ in December (if you’re not signed for the Mouse House’s streaming service, you can do so with this link), and you can keep track of other Star Wars TV shows and movies on the way with our comprehensive guide.

Gina Carano became one of the biggest names in Star Wars TV thanks to her debut in The Mandalorian Season 1, and she returned as Cara Dune in Season 2 despite growing controversy over her social media activity. Now, following a day of #FireGinaCarano trending on Twitter in reaction to new social posts, Lucasfilm has made a decision about Carano's future in the Star Wars franchise. Specifically, that she no longer has a future in the Star Wars franchise.

Lucasfilm confirmed that Gina Carano is no longer employed in a statement to Deadline, saying:

The statement indicates that not only is Gina Carano out of The Mandalorian Season 3 and The Book of Boba Fett, but also Rangers of the New Republic and all the other current and upcoming Disney+ Star Wars shows, not to mention future movies and Lucasfilm projects not set in the galaxy far, far away. The company didn't address any of Carano's specific posts, but the message is clear that Carano is done at Lucasfilm, and therefore one of the biggest franchises in entertainment history.

The confirmation that Gina Carano is done playing Cara Dune comes after the controversy surrounding her social media activity hit an all-time high thanks to a Tik Tok post comparing the current political climate to Nazi Germany and an Instagram Story seemingly mocking people wearing masks for the pandemic protocol. Past posts also led to accusations of transphobia.

The Mandalorian ended Season 2 with Cara Dune still very much part of the action, as she was part of the climax that brought Luke Skywalker into the fold when he arrived to take custody of Baby Yoda, and Rangers of the New Republic seemed like it could have been set up to showcase Cara despite Gina Carano's divisive posts on social media. Cara's role in Star Wars seemed primed to continue even as Carano's very public previous comments caused a stir, but there evidently was a limit to how far she could go before Lucasfilm cut ties.

Back in January, Gina Carano actually addressed the backlash surrounding some of her social media activity, and her comments to Drunk 3PO made it clear that she wasn't planning on stopping her posts:

At the time of writing, Gina Carano has not commented on Lucasfilm announcing that she is no longer employed on either her Twitter or Instagram account. Both "Gina Carano" and "Cara Dune" are currently trending on Twitter, however. Her ousting does raise the question of how Cara Dune's future in Star Wars will be handled. The Book of Boba Fett spinoff coming before The Mandalorian Season 3 would make it easy enough to write Cara out off-screen with a time jump, but Star Wars could also recast the character.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest developments in Star Wars TV and movie news, and be sure to check out our 2021 winter and spring premiere schedule for some further upcoming viewing options.

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After two seasons, Disney+’s The Mandalorian has made a place for itself in the hearts of many Star Wars fans. The action, storytelling and callbacks have been highlights, but fans have also come to love the cast. Gina Carano, who plays Cara Dune, has become a fan-favorite, though her polarizing social media presence has drawn significant backlash. Recently, a number of fans took to social media to show support for the actress and, now, Carano has responded with a sentimental message.

Mandalorian fans recently took to Twitter to spread the hashtag #WeLoveCaraDune, and it managed to gain some significant momentum. Gina Carano took notice of the hashtag and, in addition to retweeting fan posts, she also shared a post of her own in which she thanked them for their support. Check it out below:

Gina Carano has proven to be quite active on social media and, since her following has grown due to her role on The Mandalorian, she occasionally interacts with her fans. So the fact that she would send such a response to them isn’t too unexpected.

As mentioned, the actress’s social media presence has been controversial at times. Last year, Gina Carano received backlash after sharing posts that expressed anti-mask views in the midst of the ongoing COVD-19 pandemic. And during the 2020 U.S. presidential election, she shared voter fraud theories that were ultimately found to be inaccurate.

Sometime after these tweets surfaced, #FireGinaCarano began to trend on Twitter and, in response, another hashtag, #StandWithGinaCarano, also made its way across the interwebs. Carano has since received support from Mandalorian co-stars like Pedro Pascal and Ming-Na Wen.

Gina Carano is well aware of how some feel about her activities on social media, as she’s even said that some of her posts can “bring the fire out in people.” Still, the actress says she’ll continue to use the web and will focus on the people who “are not bothered” by her presence.

All in all, Carano seems to be enjoying her status as a member of the Star Wars family, though it hasn’t been without its set of adjustments. The actress had to get used to the fact that The Mandalorian requires such a high level of secrecy. For her, this was especially true when preparations were made for the return of Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker in the Season 2 finale.

It would appear that Gina Carano is standing firm on her decision to pay attention to the fans that bring her positivity. And as time goes on, fans will likely continue to show both her and Cara Dune love.

The first two seasons of The Mandalorian are now streaming on Disney+, which you can sign up for using this link.

Since its debut in the fall of 2019, Disney+’s The Mandalorian has become one of the most popular things since sliced bread. The show makes for a worthy addition to the Star Wars canon, and it has also served a series that allows for its actors to shine. Gina Carano, who plays former rebel shock trooper Cara Dune, has emerged as one of the show’s breakout stars and, as a result, her social media following has grown since the series premiered. Her virtual presence has, however, proven to be somewhat polarizing at times and, now, Carano has shared her thoughts on the matter.

Gina Carano discusses a wide range of topics on social media, with many of her posts relating to The Mandalorian. However, in recent months, some of her more societal-based posts have received backlash. When discussing her social media presence, Carano had this to say:

Although Gina Carano didn’t specifically mention it during her interview with Drunk 3PO, one of the most incidents occurred when she shared posts that expressed anti-mask sentiments in relation to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. During the 2020 U.S. election, she also posted voter fraud theories that were found to be inaccurate.

The posts would lead to #FireGinaCarano to trend on Twiter, while #StandWithGinaCarano also began to trend. Since the actress shared the posts, co-stars Pedro Pascal and Ming-Na Wen have shown support for her. Neither Disney nor Lucasfilm publicly weighed in on the incidents.

Gina Carano’s Cara Dune first appeared on The Mandalorian during the Season 1 episode, “Chapter 4: Sanctuary.” It’s in that episode that Mando meets Dune on the planet Sorgan, and the two team up with a community of farmers to take on a band of raiders who have hijacked an AT-ST. Dune later returned in the show’s final two episodes and helped make a stand against Moff Gideon on Navarro. She inevitably returned once again in Season 2, during which she became a marshal of the New Republic. She’s even present for that major cameo in the season finale.

Social media is a very complex and powerful tool, and one can garner a number of responses depending on what’s being posted. It would appear that Gina Carano is fully aware of the reactions her posts draw, though she seems to be focusing her attention on the positivity she receives.

The first two seasons of The Mandalorian are currently available to stream on Disney+.

The Mandalorian Season 2 delivered some massive moments, from Mando and Cobb Vanth’s battle with the Krayt Dragon to the live-action debut of Ahsoka Tano. The biggest reveal, however, was probably Mark Hamill’s cameo as Luke Skywalker during the season finale. There’s a high level of secrecy involved in any Star Wars production, and that’s certainly the case for The Mandalorian. To that point, Cara Dune actor Gina Carano says she didn’t even know about Luke Skywalker's role until the last minute:

Based on Gina Carano’s comments to Drunk 3PO, the energy on the set of The Mandalorian was high ahead of the Luke Skywalker reveal. But she was totally unaware of what she would be in for when she filmed that fateful scene. The fact that she had no idea so close to shooting is also a testament to how committed Lucasfilm is to keeping things from leaking. Sure, other casting additions like Katee Sackhoff and Temuera Morrison were public knowledge, but the team does deserve credit for concealing a star as big as Mark Hamill.

So much secrecy naturally changes up the way a show operates. Gina Carano went on to call The Mandalorian the “most secretive thing” she’s ever worked on. She then discussed some of the other measures that are taken to prevent leaks:

Precautions like these may sound a bit extreme, but they are the most effective way to combat set photo and plot leaks. There are plenty of things for a crew to be protective of, including technology. For instance, while The Mandalorian was in production on its first season, it was reported that equipment was stolen from the camera department. Among the stolen items was a memory card that reportedly held sensitive information. Luckily for Lucasfilm, nothing major leaked ahead of Season 1, not even the impossibly adorable Grogu.

With situations like that to consider, you can bet Lucasfilm isn’t going to be switching up its protocols any time soon. And if that’s what it takes to keep reveals like Luke Skywalker from getting out, then I can’t blame them at all.

The first two seasons of The Mandalorian can be streamed on Disney+.

Spoilers below for the penultimate episode of The Mandalorian Season 2, so be warned!

With only one episode left to go before viewers discover the fate of "the little green guy" known to some as Grogu, and to many others as Baby Yoda, The Mandalorian gave viewers one last side mission to watch Mando take care of before he'll presumably taking on Moff Gideon in some kind of an explosive showdown. Amusingly enough, the mission paired Pedro Pascal's hero with Bill Burr's sprung-from-prison Mayfield, which made for quite a few interesting conversations throughout the runtime of "The Believer." But most importantly, the episode allowed Mando several chances to prove exactly how much Baby Yoda means to him.

Let's take a closer look at the two biggest ways that Mando showcased his adoration and protective fatherly love for Baby Yoda. And it all would have been 100% more adorable, too, if it wasn't for Richard Brake's meddling Imperial officer Valin Hess, who made everything feel slimy just by looking at it. (Definitely an excellent performance, though, from the Absentia and Game of Thrones vet.)

Mando Had To Remove His Mask, And He Didn't Hesitate

Naturally, the five characters' trip to the planet Morak was extremely problematic, thanks initially to a bunch of "pirates" with thermal detonators attempting to blow up the transport vehicle that Mando and Mayfield commandeered. (So much suspended disbelief during this sequence.) But then things got complicated on a much more minute and personal level when the duo made it inside the Imperial mining base. The tech hub needed to determine Moff Gideon's ship coordinates required a facial scan as a security check, and of course Mayfield wasn't able to do it himself. Which only left Mando, who'd already been forced to remove his signature helmet in order to pose as one of the transport troopers.

Here's the thing, though. While Mando might have made a bigger spectacle of having to take his helmet off earlier this season, he barely made a peep when Mayfield chided him about his mask situation earlier in the episode. Plus, Mando rather quickly volunteered to get the coordinates himself after Mayfield balked, knowing full well he'd need to have his face scanned in order to succeed. I won't say our brave hero was especially eager to take the mask off, but it seemed clear he went into that base fully aware how decent the chances were that he'd have to show his face at some point.

Perhaps Mando was content with removing his mask given all of the things that he's learned about his family's past from Katee Sackoff's Bo-Katan, as well as Boba Fett's own past. Perhaps he realized that one of the biggest rules in his life was more self-imposed than anything else. But even if those notions are indeed true, Mando's decision to show his face was The Mandalorian's most logical story-based proof that the character will now do just about anything in order to ensure Baby Yoda's safety. Awww, you guys! [Insert emoji of heart bursting at the seams with love.]

Mando Went All Liam Neeson In Threatening Moff Gideon

While it has been made clear that Mando is willing to punch, kick and blow up whatever it takes to keep The Child safe, he has more often than not been forced to play defense against opposing forces. But in the final moments of "The Believer," Mando showed off his bottomless gall by sending a threatening hologram message to Giancarlo Esposito's Moff Gideon, which is the kind of move you usually see from a revenge-fueled parent (or spouse) in an action-thriller. Seriously, Mando was essentially Liam Neeson from Taken in that moment, and I'm almost surprised he didn't bring up all the special skills that he can use to get Baby Yoda back.

Rather than borrowing dialogue from any of the Taken films, however, The Mandalorian much more poetically had Mando echoing Moff Gideon's own words about Baby Yoda back at the devious villain. In my mind, that's a completely badass (though possibly naive) move that proves not only to audiences but also to Gideon and his henchmen that Mando's bond with Baby Yoda is unbreakable and worth protecting at all costs. Especially from people who want to exploit the creature's midi-chlorian organics. Here's how Mando put it:

I'm sure that any message sent by Mando would have pissed Moff Gideon off, but the villain hearing his own words thrown back at him was as much of an insult as getting threatened in the first place. Surely, Mando, Boba Fett, Fennec and Cara could have had a solid shot at setting up a secret attack on Gideon's ship, but the titular character obviously wanted to make a clear statement to his nemesis that he's not afraid to step up and take back what was stolen. (Or Grogu-napped, in this case.)

There's no way Mando would have pulled either of the aforementioned moves at any point in Season 1, but his bond with Baby Yoda has definitely evolved in big ways throughout Season 2, and it's going to be a strange situation whenever the li'l dude goes away for Jedi training and Mando doesn't have to keep him safe anymore. Is there even a show at that point?

The Mandalorian will debut its Season 2 finale on Disney+ on Friday, December 18, at 3:01 a.m. ET. Stay tuned for all of our theories and hopes and dreams here at CinemaBlend, and check out the two new Mandalorian spinoffs that are coming to the streaming service in the future. While waiting to see how things turn out, check out our Fall 2020 TV premiere schedule and our 2021 Winter and Spring TV guide for all the new and returning shows popping up on the small screen soon.

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In three films released in the last six years, the John Wick franchise has done a brilliant job hiring real badasses to star opposite Keanu Reeves in key supporting roles. The likes of Adrienne Palicki and Willem Dafoe were in on the ground floor starring in the first movie, but since then we've seen actors like Ruby Rose, Common, Franco Nero, Laurence Fishburne, Cecep Arif Rahman, Yayan Ruhian, and Halle Berry tear up the screen in the sequels. As fans, we can’t help but wonder how the movies will continue that trend in future titles, and who they will cast next… so we decided to craft what one might call a wish list.

As of now it’s unclear how long the John Wick franchise will last, but assuming that it will continue ad infinitum, we definitely have some ideas about who director Chad Stahelski should bring on-board – with a particular focus on actors who have the capacity to realistically participate in the ridiculous trademark action sequences.

Uma Thurman

Can anyone explain why Uma Thurman hasn’t done a lot more action movies? Her role as Beatrix Kiddo a.k.a. The Bride in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill is iconic because of the amount of ass she kicks, and yet she has not played the lead in a serious action feature since then (and that was 16 years ago). Having her take on a significant role in the future of the John Wick franchise would make for a dream pairing, and would be a great opportunity to put a sword back in her hands. Plus, the series could go a step further and also cast Thurman’s Kill Bill stunt double, Zoe Bell, alongside her – perhaps even as a sister.

Gina Carano

From Haywire, to Fast & Furious 6, to Deadpool, to The Mandalorian, Gina Carano has consistently demonstrated herself as a consummate badass on-screen, with her background as a professional MMA fighter lending a special authenticity to all of her roles. This is the same authenticity that is deeply embedded in the atmosphere of the John Wick movies, and thus the actor makes for an excellent match for the content. When given proper material she can deliver a great performance, and it’s consistently fun to see her just tear through opponents. She could be a powerful ally, or the titular hero’s worst nightmare, but either way Carano should be a part of this series.

Iko Uwais

I would give you full permission to dismiss this list as invalid if it didn’t include Iko Uwais, so consider this me saving you the need to leave a negative post in the comments section. For those who don’t immediate recognize the name, Uwais is the star of the two movies in The Raid duology (which is one of the most bone-crunchingly incredible pieces of modern action cinema), and has seen his profile grow recently with roles in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Stuber, and the upcoming Snake Eyes. Frankly, the only reason I can fathom that the Indonesian star isn’t already a part of the franchise is because Chad Stahelski has been saving him for some kind of grand finale. And, of course, if the series were to bring Uwais on board, it would also be amazing to see…

Joe Taslim

Those who have seen The Raid will recognize Joe Taslim as one of the main villains in the film opposite Iko Uwais – but their awesome on screen chemistry has continued in the years since then as well with their protagonist/antagonist roles changed in the blistering The Night Comes For Us. Taslim has also been gaining a lot of exposure in Hollywood movies, like Star Trek Beyond, Fast & Furious 6, and the upcoming Mortal Kombat, and it feels like it’s only a matter of time before he is brought into the John Wick universe. It’s insanely fun to watch him do his thing, and we want to see it opposite Keanu Reeves.

Naomi Watts

Known for making dramas like Mulholland Drive, The Impossible, and Birdman, Naomi Watts may not be the first actor you think of when contemplating potential additions to an action franchise like the John Wick movies, but that simply demonstrates a gap in your knowledge about her. While she hasn’t had many opportunities to show off her skills on film, Watts has trained in martial arts for years, participating in Judo contests in the late 1980s/early 1990s, and more recently learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. To see that background translated on screen with her acting opposite Keanu Reeves sounds like a recipe for surprise and awesomeness.

Tony Jaa

With the exception of small roles in Furious 7 and xXx: Return Of Xander Cage, Tony Jaa doesn't have a great deal of experience working in English-language films, but from a physical perspective he most definitely has what it takes to function well in a John Wick movie. In his native Thailand he has been working in film since the early 1990s, and is best known for whipping all kinds of ass playing the hero in the Ong Bak trilogy. He’ll soon be getting more exposure in America via the release of the upcoming Monster Hunter, and perhaps that will wind up being his springboard into the Keanu Reeves-led series.

Michael Jai White

From Spawn, to Black Dynamite, to Arrow, Michael Jai White’s physical prowess has long been a key part of what he brings to the table as an actor, and his background explains why. While he has a particular focus in Kyrokushin Karate, he practices eight different styles of martial arts. He is exactly the kind of performer you expect to see in a John Wick movie if not simply because action fans actively talk about showdowns like Michael Jai White vs. Keanu Reeves. He’d be an excellent fit for the future of the series.

Forest Whitaker

There probably isn’t a ton of crossover on the Venn diagram of “Best Actor Oscar Winners” and “Black Belts,” but Forest Whitaker actually exists in both categories. He's never been a big action guy on the silver screen, but he is expertly trained in Kenpo Karate (a form originating in America), and is also experienced in Escrima (a weapons-based martial art created in the Philippines). Whitaker has had significant dramatic roles in recent blockbusters like Black Panther and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but it would be great to see him exercise his fighting talents in future John Wick chapters.

What actors would you like to see join the John Wick franchise at some point in the future? Hit the comments section with your thoughts, feelings, and opinions, and stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for updates about future movies in the series.

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At the start of the grand experiment known as Disney+, The Mandalorian stood as a bold effort that bridged the gap between the galaxy far far away in theaters and the home viewing experience. Eight chapters later, the world is hooked on this huge streaming hit, with a second season on the way by the end of the year.

While we obviously don’t know what’s going to happen in this new season, we do know some of the characters and actors we’ll be seeing when Season 2 starts streaming. In anticipation of those new episodes that seem so close, yet so far far away, we’re going to run down who’s confirmed to be back and what we might see from them.

Let’s start with the most obvious confirmation for The Mandalorian cast:

Pedro Pascal – The Mandalorian

You can’t have The Mandalorian without Din Djarin himself returning to protect The Child. Pedro Pascal is back for Season 2, and from the sound of things it’s going to be just as punishing and rewarding a season for him as it was during those first eight episodes. Which is awesome, because quite a few other cast members are following him into the fray once more.

Gina Carano – Cara Dune

Also returning for Season 2 of The Mandalorian is actor Gina Carano, whose character Cara Dune had joined the Bounty Hunters' Guild after the events of Season 1’s finale. A former Imperial trooper, Dune has shown promise when it comes to turning towards the light. However, fans are worried that Cara won’t make it out of Season 2, as Carano’s social media posts after wrapping this round seem to hint that may be the case.

Carl Weathers – Greef Carga

A representative of the Bounty Hunters' Guild, Greef Carga was first seen giving bounties in The Mandalorian. Eventually siding with the titular bounty hunter, after some rocky dealings throughout Season 1, Carl Weathers’ character is built into the core team that looks to be moving forward in Season 2. Weathers has returned for this new season, and we might get a little more of his backstory this time out. Just don’t expect the full Bantha, if we do get anything at all.

Bill Burr – Mayfield

Here’s something folks might not have expected any time soon: Bill Burr’s traitorous criminal/fan favorite Mayfield has recently been confirmed as returning for The Mandalorian in this next season as well! Locked up with some of Mando’s former criminal pals after the events of “Chapter 6: The Prisoner”, it always felt like vengeance would be visited upon our rough edged hero. Now we know that at least one party will be returning for their pound of flesh, as per a recent item in Deadline.

Giancarlo Esposito – Moff Gideon

Some people can walk into a room and command every molecule of oxygen, they’re just that commanding. Giancarlo Esposito, both as an actor and as The Mandalorian’s Moff Gideon, has always had that ability, which makes his confirmed return to Season 2 all the more exciting. Though when your character cuts through the hull of a TIE Fighter with a Darksaber, you’re kind of begging to be brought back for more action; even if, according to a recent IMDb interview, Esposito has wrecked quite a few sabers while filming.

Rosario Dawson – Ahsoka Tano

You may have heard this news already, so feel free to skip on if you’re not excited about Ahsoka Tano joining The Mandalorian’s cast. But for the rest of you, one of the biggest pieces of news in recent weeks has been that Rosario Dawson will be playing the first live-action incarnation of this crucial Clone Wars character. Again, we don’t know what she’ll be doing in Season 2, but that won’t stop us from freaking out with excitement over what this could mean for the overall Star Wars universe.

Michael Biehn

Dude. DUUUUUDE! Someone’s been reading our thoughts, because when you think of grizzled excellence in cinema, Michael Biehn is one of those badasses you just need to bring along for the ride. And with The Mandalorian trading in the exact field of grizzle excellence, the fact that Biehn has been cast in Season 2 is so exciting, we don’t care what he’s doing or who he’s playing? Well, maybe that’s not totally true, but for now we’re still pretty high off of this news, as we’re hoping that not only will we see Michael Biehn as another stalwart bounty hunter, but that maybe this will be a signal that those reports of Robert Rodriguez doing some work on Season 2 are absolutely true.

As you can see, the excitement of The Mandalorian Season 2 is starting to pick up, and it's only going to continue through to whenever the next round of stories premieres later this year. In the meantime, we'll be rewatching Season 1 to start forming even more theories of what's going to happen next, and we encourage you to do the same! Which means it's a good time to either revisit the first eight episodes on Disney+, or if you don't have a subscription, to jump in with a free 7-day trial!

That's a wrap for The Mandalorian Season 2 ... at least for Gina Carano. The Cara Dune actress announced the end to her Mandalorian filming schedule on Friday, March 6, 2020. She shared two posts and one of them got fans worried that maybe she was saying goodbye forever and not just for the season.

The Mandalorian Season 2 has actually been filming since October 2019, about a month before Season 1 arrived on Disney+. In November 2019, the world was introduced to Baby Yoda/The Child and friends, and The Mandalorian became Disney+'s first major hit. It wasn't a given that fans would be so invested in Season 2, but after the first eight chapters, we're eager for more.

And that means more from former Rebel shock trooper Cara Dune. It's still not clear how much she'll factor into Season 2's story, since The Mandalorian Season 1's finale, "Redemption," showed Mando/Din Djarin leaving with Baby Yoda to figure out The Child's origin. Gina Carano has already hinted to knowing The Child's true name, so that's something fans are looking forward to learning in Season 2.

At any rate, we know Cara Dune re-enters The Mandalorian's storyline in Season 2, but whatever Gina Carano filmed is now in the past. Here's what she posted to Instagram:

She's done with The Mandalorian Season 2! Simple enough. But it's her Twitter post that really got some fans nervous:

That led some fans to worry it was a goodbye post, as you can see in her comments:

There's no hint that it was anything other than appreciation for another great season, but the fear is now out there:

Part of the concern may come from Gina Carano being the first major star from The Mandalorian to announce a wrap for Season 2. Will everyone else quickly follow or did she wrap early? Hopefully Baby Yoda didn't actually choke her to death this time!

Jon Favreau hasn't posted about wrapping up yet, and as far as we know The Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal and company are still filming for Season 2's October 2020 release. Disney hasn't officially renewed the show for Season 3 yet, but if Favreau isn't done telling the story (please say you're not done) then Season 3 filming will probably match closely to Season 2's debut.

Here's what we know so far about The Mandalorian Season 2, which has added a lot of impressive talent behind-the-scenes and some rumored names on camera too.

If any star of The Mandalorian deserves their own spin-off, it is Gina Carano. Playing a badass mercenary on the Star Wars-inspired Disney+ series does not take much acting for her, given how she first made a name for herself as one of the fiercest athletes in MMA.

Since retiring from competitive fighting, the 37-year-old has found success in film and television, landing roles in the Fast and Furious franchise, Deadpool, and even a few straight-to-video action movies. The actress may have reached her apex mountain by starring in The Mandalorian, but I predict there is still much more we shall see from Gina Carano, just like there is much more to learn about her meteoric rise from the MMA to bonafide action star.

Gina Carano Had A Nearly Undefeated Fighting Career

After training in Muay Thai, Gina Carano’s career in Mixed Martial Arts took off in 2006: a time when women in the sport was scarce. It was not even until 2012 when the UFC officially began accepting female fighters and Ronda Rousey made headlines as the organization’s first signed athlete. Yet, Carano’s emergence on the MMA scene is often credited as the beginning of that revolutionary moment when women in competitive fighting were beginning to be taken more seriously.

The 5’8”, 143-lb Gina Carano became one of the most talked about stars in MMA from 2006-2009, leading an undefeated record while competing in organizations Strikeforce and Elite XC. However, her eighth and final fight would also be her first and only loss, after suffering a TKO from her opponent, Brazilian-American fighter Cristiane “Cris Cyborg” Justino. Not long after Carano’s retirement, she would find a new job that would also allow her to utilize her combative skills, but more on that later.

Athleticism Runs In Gina Carano’s Family

It was actually then-boyfriend Kevin Ross, a Muay Thai kickboxing star, who inspired Gina Carano to take up the sport at age 21. However, the former MMA fighter is not the only athlete in the family.

Gina Carano was born the second of three sisters in Dallas, Texas, on April 16, 1982, to mother Dana and father Glenn. For seven years, Glenn Carano was a professional football player, first as back-up quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys for six seasons before transitioning to the Pittsburgh Maulers on the United States Football League in 1984.

Gina Carano Played Herself In Her First Starring Role

Most people probably assume a certain 2011 action film that I will touch on later to be Gina Carano’s screen debut, and that would be true if we were only counting acting in theatrical releases. The athlete was a recurring competitor on NBC’s American Gladiators under the nickname Crush, and appeared on the reality show Fight Girls around the same time her competitive career took off, but before going pro, Carano made her true acting debut as a Muay Thai fighter named Gina Carano.

The real stretch of a role was in 2005’s Ring Girls, which is essentially a collection of documentary footage spliced together with dramatized scenes that follow Muay Thai instructor Master Toddy’s training of five aspiring female fighters, including Gina Carano, that has apparently reached cult status. Carano’s first foray into playing a fictional character came in 2009 with the straight-to-video martial arts film, Blood and Bone, which also starred several stars of MMA including Kimbo Slice and Bob Sapp opposite star Michael Jai White. It seemed that the former athlete’s acting career was destined to follow a trend, until she received an opportunity from an Academy Award-winning filmmaker.

Steven Soderbergh Made Gina Carano A Movie Star

Steven Soderbergh rose to prominence as a indie film darling with dramas like Sex, Lies, and Videotape and Traffic before pioneering the modern heist comedy with his successful remake of Ocean’s Eleven in 2001. As you can see, he is rarely one to repeat himself (excluding the Ocean’s sequels) and reflected that knack with his fast-paced 2011 espionage thriller Haywire, which would have been an entirely different film had its star, Gina Carano, not caught his eye.

Originally intended for a man, Steven Soderbergh worked with screenwriter Lem Dobbs to rewrite the central protagonist of Haywire, a former black ops soldier seeking revenge on the agency that double crossed her, as a woman with Gina Carano specifically in mind. The thriller, also starring Ewan McGregor and Channing Tatum in supporting roles to name a few, was well-received by critics, earned Carano the first Chuck Norris Award for Best Female Action Star at ActionFest in 2012, and effectively paved the way for the former athlete’s steady acting career. I should mention, however, that fans of The Mandalorian who may want to watch Haywire after seeing her as Cara Dune might notice something a little off about her performance.

That Is Not Actually Gina Carano’s Voice in ‘Haywire’

Upon the release of Haywire, it became a somewhat controversial point of conversation of whether or not star Gina Carano was using her actual voice in the role. While the actress’ real voice is relatively deep, her character, Mallory Kane, bears a noticeably softer and lighter tone. As Carano revealed in an interview on the MMA-centered podcast No Holds Barred, director Steven Soderbergh did use sound alterations to change her voice, before then explaining why...

While it may be jarring to fans familiar with Gina Carano’s voice to hear her sound almost entirely different, the alterations, fortunately have no bearing on the spy thriller’s entertainment value. No changes to her voice have been made in films starring the actress since. Yet, she was under the impression that she would have to adopt, not only a new voice, but new language for her most popular project to date...

Gina Carano Originally Thought She Was Cast As A Wookiee In The Mandalorian

Gina Carano stole the show in The Mandalorian as former Rebel shock trooper Carasynthia “Cara” Dune, a trusted ally of Pedro Pascal’s titular bounty hunter, which creator Jon Favreau wrote specifically with her in mind. However, when she first got the call, she initially assumed her role would be quite different. As Gina Carano told Vanity Fair,

The character herself is pretty incredible, as well, with her closest taste of defeat being Baby Yoda’s force chokehold while a fierce adversary in hand-to-hand combat. Fans are hoping to see Gina Carano’s to-be-determined return to the world of The Mandalorian as Cara Dune when Season 2 drops on Disney+ this October.

Gina Carano reached stardom as one of the most badass women in the world. Now she is known for playing badasses in movies and television. Her career is a testament to the belief that success comes from being yourself.

The Fast And Furious franchise, in recent years, has become more and more insane with unbelievable stunts, cyborgs, and characters that seem to have been brought back from the dead. This was most recently seen in the record-breaking Fast And Furious 9 trailer where Han Lue (Sung Kang), who died in Tokyo Drift, walked on to the screen as if nothing happened.

All of that got us thinking - if characters like Han and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) can come back from the grave and continue driving, diving, and stealing cars with Dom and the rest of the crew, who else should return in future installments of the billion-dollar franchise?

Over the years, the Fast And Furious franchise has introduced audiences to dozens of iconic characters who have fallen by the wayside. Here are six of the fastest and most furious characters we’d like to see be brought back as the franchise continues to grow.

Monica Fuentes (Eva Mendes)

United States Customs agent Monica Fuentes (Eva Mendes) was a crucial element in the plot of 2 Fast 2 Furious, but was all but forgotten aside from a brief cameo in Fast Five. Introduced as the undercover contact for Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) and Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), Fuentes helped the pair insert themselves in drug lord Carter Verone’s (Cole Hauser) criminal enterprise.

Fuentes disappeared from the series when the rest of the original cast returned for the 2009 Fast And Furious soft reboot, and as mentioned above, only returned for a brief cameo in the post-credits scene in the fifth installment of the franchise. It looked like she would maybe play a larger role in the subsequent films after her interaction with Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), but that hasn’t been the case.

It would be amazing if Fuentes returned at some point when Fast And Furious 9 premieres this summer.

Gisele Yashar (Gal Gadot)

This next one is a stretch, I know, but hear me out. So, we saw Han die in Tokyo Drift and then archival and alternate footage of him dying in Furious 7, only for him to return in F9. With all of that being said, couldn’t the same happen with Gisele Yashar, his former partner in crime and love interest? Yeah, we saw her fall from a plane in Fast And Furious 6, but that doesn’t mean she couldn't have miraculously survived the fall and went into hiding. It certainly wouldn’t be the strangest thing to happen in the Fast And Furious franchise.

Gisele played a major role in all of the movies from Fast And Furious (2009) to Fast And Furious 6, and over time, became a vital member of Dom and Brian’s crew. She was a remarkable driver, superb fighter, and with looks that could kill, Gisele helped out the crew in a number of ways. Her death was one of the most traumatic moments in the franchise and had an impact on everyone in the crew, especially Han.

Just imagine Han returns in F9, finds himself in mortal danger and is saved by a mysterious character. Now imagine that character is Gisele. Here’s my money, Universal. Take all of it.

Owen Shaw (Luke Evans)

The franchise introduced one of the most engaging villains when Owen Shaw (Luke Evans) was brought into the fold for Fast And Furious 6. Shaw would go on to give Dom, Brian, and the rest of the crew a run for their money before being taken out and placed in a coma at the end of the film.

Owen Shaw was only featured briefly in the beginning of Furious 7 when his brother Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) visited his kid brother and vowed to get back at the people that hurt his family. But that all changed by the time Fate Of The Furious rolled around a few years later when Deckard and Owen teamed up with Dom to save his young son, Brian, who had been kidnapped by Cipher.

We don’t know what came of Owen Shaw after forcing Cipher’s pilot to land the plane at the conclusion of the eighth film, and he didn’t show up in his brother’s spin-off Hobbs And Shaw, so we don’t know whether he will return for Fast And Furious 9 or not, but we can only hope that he teams up with his older brother again at some point. I mean, Luke Evans really brought the whole villain role to another level when compared to his predecessors, so having him return as either a villain or an anti-hero could open a lot of doors for the franchise.

Riley Hicks (Gina Carano)

Diplomatic Security Service agent Riley Hicks (Gina Carano) has only showed up once in the franchise when she was revealed to be a double agent working for Owen Shaw in Fast And Furious 6. Hicks was last seen being shot by a harpoon gun and falling out of an airplane, but there’s a small chance that someone of her stature would survive such an injury.

Plus, Gina Carano has become somewhat of an action star following her appearance in the 2013 film, including a minor role in the 2016 Deadpool and a much larger role in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian. The former combat athlete and actress has become a much larger name and better performer since then, so it wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility if she showed up at one point or another in the future.

Tego Leo And Rico (Tego Calderon And Don Omar)

Tego Leo and Rico Santos quickly became fan favorites when they were introduced to the franchise via the 2009 short film Los Bandoleros that led into the events of Fast And Furious later that year. The two friends were key members of Dom’s crew during the oil tanker heist that served as the climax of the film, but the two would really take it up a notch with the next entry in the franchise.

During Fast Five, Leo and Rico performed a great deal of the recon work that needed to be completed before the crew could steal the two bank vaults for that incomprehensible action set-piece that anchored the entire movie. Following the events of the film, Leo and Rico were seen playing roulette in Monaco where they up their entire shares on red and black, respectively. The results of that bet were never revealed.

The two characters wouldn’t show up again until Fate Of The Furious, even then only being briefly shown when Dom was rescuing his son from Cipher (Charlize Theron). It’s not known what happened to the fan favorites, and they weren’t featured in the new trailer, but who knows, they could pop up again and tell everyone who won that fateful bet in Monaco.

Will any of these characters join the likes of Han Lue and return to the Fast And Furious franchise? We’ll just have to wait and see when Fast And Furious 9 hits theaters this summer.

Although She-Hulk has been gracing the pages of comic books for a long time, the Marvel character has yet to get the live-action treatment. That will change thanks to last year’s announcement that Marvel is developing a She-Hulk series for Disney+. Though details about the project are scarce, one fan envisioned how The Mandalorian’s Gina Carano could look as Marvel’s She-Hulk and it’s fantastic.

Gina Carano, who “passed out twice” during The Mandalorian’s Baby Yoda choking scene, has been given the fan art treatment. In a post to Instagram, a fan artist drew the actress in the role of She-Hulk. In the image, Carano is wearing She-Hulk’s famous purple and white costume with an arm raised and ready for action. The art depicting Carano as She-Hulk is designed to look like a poster for the TV series, making it all the more creative. You can check out the fan art below!

As Cara Dune in The Mandalorian, a former shock trooper who fought with the Rebel Alliance, Carano has already proven that she can play a headstrong character. In addition, Carano is an experienced MMA fighter and appeared in the reality series American Gladiators before transitioning to acting. She’s no stranger to action and would be the perfect fit as She-Hulk.

A few months ago, Mark Ruffalo, who spoke about his potential involvement in She-Hulk, revealed his choice to play the character was none other than his Thor: Ragnarok co-star Tessa Thompson. She's already playing Valkyrie, but the MCU has been known to cast the same actor in two different roles before. Look no further than Gemma Chan, who was in Captain Marvel and is playing an entirely different character in the MCU movie The Eternals.

Still, there are plenty of other actresses who could be cast in the role. Luke Cage alum Rosario Dawson responded enthusiastically to the idea of playing She-Hulk after another fan artist imagined her in the role. With so many talented actresses out there, the possibilities are truly endless. In fact, Gina Carano is one of our top picks to play She-Hulk alongside Gabrielle Union, Aubrey Plaza, and others.

The Disney+ She-Hulk series will follow Jennifer Walters, Bruce Banner’s cousin. In the comics, She-Hulk gains her superhuman abilities and green appearance after receiving an emergency blood transfusion from The Hulk. She-Hulk is arguably less angry than her cousin and, as a lawyer, is incredibly witty and smart. It’s no wonder the fan artist envisioned Gina Carano in the role.

She-Hulk doesn’t have a scheduled release date, but stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more information on the Disney+ series. In the meantime, be sure to check out all the Marvel TV shows coming to the streaming service, as well as our 2020 midseason schedule to find out the premiere dates and times for cable network and streaming shows.

Damn. Don't mess with the boss baby of The Mandalorian. In The Mandalorian Season 1, Episode 7, "The Reckoning," Mando -- whose actual name is Din Djarin, but I'm still calling him Mando -- killed some time by arm wrestling with former Rebel soldier Cara Dune (Gina Carano). Baby Yoda -- whose actual name has yet to be revealed, but I'm sticking with Baby Yoda -- watched the match and decided to tip the scales for daddy Mando (Pedro Pascal). Baby Yoda put out his hand and used the Force to choke Cara Dune, Vader style.

Apparently that scene, which also included Kuiil, went pretty Method for Cara Dune actress Gina Carano. Here's how she responded when a Mandalorian fan asked how it felt to learn she'd be Baby Yoda's first Force choke victim:

Passed out twice?! This is NOT the way. Gina Carano is a former competitive mixed martial artists -- hardly a shrinking violet -- so that's interesting. Bryce Dallas Howard directed Episode 4, a few chapters before this one, and mentioned how hard Carano worked to do all of those stunts while also battling a stomach flu. Sounds like it wasn't the easiest shoot at times.

So, I'm not sure what was happening on set that day for this Episode 7 scene, but maybe Baby Yoda is just really strong with The Force. (That didn't stop those two scout troopers from hitting him in Episode 8, but at least the internet is hitting back at Jason Sudeikis for it.) Or maybe they just did so many takes of that scene, Gina Carano got light-headed.

By the way, Gina Carano also knows The Child's real name, and I'm guessing that information comes out in The Mandalorian Season 2, which already started filming in October 2019. Carano playfully teased a fan whose account is called Baby Yoda:

Here's how Baby Yoda's Force choke scene played out in Chapter 7/Episode 7. While Cara and Mando were arm wrestling, The Child started choking Cara Dune from afar...

That turned into a fight about working for The Empire, so Kuill didn't expand on the rumors. The Mudhorn was featured in Episode 2, when Baby Yoda used the Force to kill it.

It was kind of surprising to see Baby Yoda jump in with a Force choke to protect Mando since he did nothing but sip loudly when Mando and Cara Dune had their real fight back in Episode 4. That sip turned into a meme, but otherwise showed Baby Yoda looking unbothered. This time, however, he seemed to think he was defending his daddy. Maybe that showed the strength of their bond at that point. Or was he trying to say something specific about Cara?

What's the real story with The Child/The Kid/Baby Yoda/He Who Shall Not Be Named Until Season 2? Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) told Mando, "You may think you have some idea what you’re in possession of, but you do not." All we know is that the kid looks like, well, a baby Yoda and is clearly Force-strong like Yoda (and others).

Mando's big mission in The Mandalorian Season 2 is to discover Baby Yoda's origins. We'll have to see how that goes when Season 2 arrives on Disney+ in Fall 2020. Here's more of what we know so far about Season 2. And here's what else you can expect on Disney+ in 2020.

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One of the biggest shows on TV right now is the first live-action Star Wars TV series, Disney+'s The Mandalorian. After four episodes, it's inarguable that the show's biggest star is an inanimate object that can be held in one hand. I'm talking, of course, about the adorable Baby Yoda, whose presence made a huge impact on both The Mandalorian and on the Star Wars franchise as a whole. Star Gina Carano, in particular, is quite a fan of the little bugger.

In fact, the former MMA star agrees with The Mandalorian's creator and executive producer Jon Favreau that it's virtually impossible for any of the characters to take over a scene where Baby Yoda is present. In Gina Carano's words:

Consider, if you will, just how much viral imagery came out of just "Chapter 4." The biggest highlight of all, at least in terms of GIF creations, was no doubt Baby Yoda nonchalantly taking a sip of soup, a moment that swept the Internet by storm upon its weekend of release. But let's not also forget the early scene in Mando's ship, when Baby Yoda kept messing with the buttons; that scene provided its own meme-ready fabulousness.

Baby Yoda doesn't even need the arbitrary beeps and blorps that tiny cute droids have, or even the noises of the Porgs. All he needs is those big expressive eyes, his little hover-carriage, and some tight swaddling, and this franchise could just stick a camera on him for 30-40 minutes each week with equally rewarding results.

Gina Carano's Cara Dune was finally introduced in Episode 4, which was directed by Bryce Dallas Howard. The actress is extremely pleased and honored to have such firm footing within the Star Wars universe, and had only good things to say about her experiences with THR. She also teased that the tattoo beneath her eye is going to get a crazy-good backstory in the near-future, and that such big Hollywood names as Stephen Spielberg, the Coen brothers and Seth Rogen have all visited the Mandalorian sets during production.

Even though the world at large was completely out of the loop on the Baby Yoda front, Gina Carano says that she learned about the cutesy character's introduction after she'd already secured the gig, and that she loved the fact that his existence remained a secret. Here's how she put it:

The last month of 2020 is set to be one of the biggest ever for Star Wars fans, with the final four episodes of The Mandalorian accompanying the big screen release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. And what's more, fans likely don't need to worry about anything too detrimental happening to Baby Yoda in Season 1, since he's been seen on the Season 2 set.

Rian Johnson Wants To Direct The Mandalorian In Season 2 And That Needs To Happen

The Mandalorian airs Fridays on Disney+ at 3:01 a.m. ET. If you're in need of a subscription, just head over for a 7-day free trial, and get ready for all that Baby Yoda merch on the way.