MMA fighter turned actress Gina Carano looked destined for big things as part of the Star Wars franchise. Cast as Cara Dune in The Mandalorian, she soon became a recurring presence in the Disney+ series and Lucasfilm put plans in place for the Rebel hero to take centre stage in a now-scrapped spin-off titled Rangers of the New Republic.
In 2021, Carano faced backlash on social media after sharing her thoughts on the pandemic, the controversy surrounding the 2020 U.S. Presidential election, and views some deemed transphobic and antisemitic.
As a result, she was fired from the series, and essentially blacklisted in Hollywood. Carano is back in the limelight thanks to a THR contributor poking fun at her latest effort - Terror on the Prairie - making only $804 at the North American box office.
It's important to note, however, that Terror on the Prairie was released exclusively online and available only to Daily Wire subscribers, so the box office numbers don't offer a complete picture of how well the film did. The Daily Wire is an American conservative news website and media company that was founded in 2015 by political commentator Ben Shapiro and film director Jeremy Boreing.
When The Hollywood Reporter's Richard Newby poked fun at how badly the actress "[fumbled] the bag" by missing out on "her own Star Wars series, toys, books, comics, [and] apparel," Carano quickly went on the offensive accusing the writer of harassing her for the past two years. The former Cara Dune suggested her dismissal from The Mandalorian came as a result of her not "[going] along with the sell-out narrative," blaming "the online mob" for petitioning to get her fired.
Lucasfilm isn't expected to recast Cara Dune, and we still haven't had any explanation for her sudden disappearance. Whether she'll receive a passing mention in The Mandalorian season 3 remains to be seen, but it's possible the character will be forgotten, going down as little more than just another ally Din Djarin and Grogu crossed paths with on their journey.
The Mandalorian returns to Disney+ with its third season on March 1.