Favreau & Pascal Caught in ‘Mandalorian’ Controversy

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carl weathers, jon favreau, kathleen kennedy, gina carano, dave filoni, and pedro pascal take a selfie

Credit: Daniel Boczarski for Disney

Earlier this week, the gavel finally came down, and The Mandalorian actress Gina Carano was fired after months of online controversy.

star wars the mandalorian gina carano cara dune
Credit: Lucasfilm

Related: ‘Bring Back Gina Carano’ Petition Begins to Trend

The daughter of former NFL quarterback Glenn Carano, Carano played Cara Dune, an ex-mercenary turned New Republic Marshal who lived and worked on the planet Nevarro. She was often seen alongside Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), such as in the Emmy Award-winning The Mandalorian Season 2, Episode 3 (“Chapter 12: The Siege).

Throughout The Mandalorian Season 2, Carano became known for her divisive Twitter posts, which often showcased her political and social opinions. Twitter users on both sides of the aisle have been passionate regarding their feelings toward the actress.

Over the past several months, opposing hashtags —  #FireGinaCarano, #WeLoveCaraDune, and #IStandWithGinaCarano — all trended at various times. The former women’s MMA fighter frequently thanked her supporters and clapped back at her “haters” with multiple posts, including a Yoda meme and a Princess Bride quote.

gina carano mandalorian premiere
Credit: Gina Carano Instagram

Related: Gina Carano Is “In Love” With ‘Star Wars,’ Won’t Be Silenced

Now, Carano has finally broken her silence about being fired from Star Wars, and it’s been noted that her upcoming project will “take down the Death Star.”

What does this have to do with Pedro Pascal?

The straw that broke the camel’s back about Gina Carano was a Tweet that many deemed anti-Semitic. The Hollywood Reporter shared Lucasfilm’s official statement about firing the Star Wars actress:

“Gina Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm and there are no plans for her to be in the future,” a Lucasfilm spokesperson said in a statement. “Nevertheless, her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable.”

pedro pascal and gina carano
Credit: Gina Carano Instagram

Related: ‘Mandalorian’ Cast Speaks Out on Gina Carano and Her Future With Show

Although Pascal has not posted support for Carano since she was let go from the Star Wars franchise, he has previously supported his Mandalorian co-star on multiple occasions.

Almost immediately after news about Carano’s firing broke, social media users began noting that Pascal had previously shared a post that compared modern-day American culture to Nazi Germany during the Holocaust.

As the New York Post noted:

…[some fans] found the decision hypocritical, as Pascal, 45, received no apparent consequences for his comparison of Donald Trump supporters to Nazis in a November post that he subsequently deleted. 

“Pedro Pascal, who plays the Mandalorian on Disney Plus, was not fired for this post on Instagram comparing Trump supporters to Nazis and Confederates,” tweeted one frustrated critic. 

Mandalorian Season 2 Cara Dune Mandalorian Greef Karga
Credit: Lucasfilm

Related: ‘Mandalorian’ Star Pedro Pascal Explains Why He Accepted a Masked Role

Lucasfilm has not commented on the Pedro Pascal controversy that has begun making the rounds online. Some fans are even wondering if the timing of the announcement about Pascal’s new HBO series was coincidental or intentional, pointing out that it could be a message, of sorts, to Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company.

At this time, Pascal is still set to reprise his role as title bounty hunter Din Djardin in The Mandalorian Season 3. The third season of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni’s hit series is slated to begin filming in April 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

Where does Jon Favreau fit into the situation?

Mandalorian creator and showrunner Jon Favreau was reportedly the reason that Gina Carano was not removed from the Star Wars universe earlier. Favreau, by all counts, has been known to be against “cancel culture.”

jon favreau mandalorian set with baby yoda
Credit: Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian/Disney+

Related: Jon Favreau Says ‘Mandalorian’ Strikes “Magical Balance,” Teases Season 3

Many Star Wars fans (particularly those who love George Lucas’s original trilogy) view Favreau and Filoni as the saviors of Star Wars.

The Mandalorian has done something no previous Disney Star Wars project has done — brought the fandom together instead of tearing them apart (hi, sequel trilogy). The adventures of Din Djarin and Grogu (AKA Baby Yoda) have given fans the authentic storytelling and character development that many have been missing from the Star Wars franchise for too long.

Luke Skywalker and Grogu
Credit: Lucasfilm

Related: Mark Hamill Shares Never-Before-Heard Story About Carrie Fisher

Creator Jon Favreau has perfected the art of “fan service,” perfectly executing iconic Star Wars actor Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker cameo in the Mandalorian Season 2 finale episode.

Given that Favreau reportedly crafted the role of Cara Dune specifically for Carano, it will certainly be interesting to see what happens moving forward. The actress was reportedly set to star in the upcoming Mandalorian spinoff series Rangers of the New Republic, announced by Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy at the 2020 Disney Investor Day event.

rangers of the new republic
Credit: Lucasfilm/Disney

Related: ‘The Mandalorian’: Gina Carano’s Cara Dune Could Be Recast or Removed Altogether

As Forbes pointed out:

She [Gina Carano] made her debut as a mercenary in the fourth episode of the first season of the series, and by the end of season two, the former Rebel Alliance shock trooper had become one of Din Djarin’s fiercest allies and advanced in responsibility as a New Republic Marshal.

The producers seemed quite invested in her character; they recently revealed she hailed from Alderaan, the same planet (well, ex-planet) as Princess Leia, played by the late Carrie Fisher, establishing a link to the original Star Wars trilogy.

What other implications could Carano’s firing have?

Gina Carano being fired from Star Wars could have long-term, far-reaching implications for the Walt Disney Company. There is already a social media campaign encouraging people to cancel their Disney+ subscriptions unless the Cara Dune actress is brought back — and if this situation has taught us anything, it’s the power of social media.

fennec shand cara dune mandalorian the believer
Credit: Lucasfilm/Disney

Related: Fans Want Another ‘Mandalorian’ Actress to Replace Gina Carano

Furthermore, the controversy could impact not only Rangers of the New Republic but other Mandalorian spinoff shows as well.

Ahsoka, for instance, is expected to follow Jedi Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) as she searches the galaxy — and possibly even the World Between Worlds — for Grand Admiral Thrawn and fellow Jedi Ezra Bridger. Marvel’s Iron Man trilogy star, Robert Downey Jr., has been rumored to be in consideration for the role of Thrawn.

However, many assume RDJ will stand against “cancel culture,” much like Favreau is expected to.

star wars the mandalorian boba fett temuera morrison
Credit: Lucasfilm/Disney

Related: Boba Fett Has a Daughter and ‘Mandalorian’ Saga Could Bring Her to Life

Furthermore, this potential behind-the-scenes casting drama could delay The Mandalorian Season 3, Ahsoka, Rangers of the New Republic, and the final confirmed spinoff, The Book of Boba Fett.

What’s the bottom line?

All the Star Wars fan community can know is what Lucasfilm shared in their official statement regarding Carano’s future in the post-Skywalker Saga Star Wars galaxy.

However, the fan base is divided, with many pointing out that Disney and Marvel Studios re-hired Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn following his highly controversial past comments — yet, in the minds of these fans, Carano seems to have not received the same treatment.

favreau and pedro pascal
Credit: Pedro Pascal Instagram @PascalIsPunk

Related: Poe Meets Mando! Oscar Isaac and Pedro Pascal Celebrate New Year’s Eve

Others are glad to see Carano gone and look forward to a Mandalorian franchise without the actress’s involvement.

No matter where you fall, it is clear that losing Gina Carano has potentially caused major friction for The Mandalorian as it moves into the upcoming season, especially where Favreau and leading man Pascal are concerned.

What do you think about the future of The Mandalorian? If you need your beskar armor fix now, remember both seasons of The Mandalorian and Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian is currently streaming on Disney+.

Editor’s Note: The opinions reflected in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Inside the Magic overall.

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