Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for February 15
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Gina Carano's fans are fighting for her to return to the "Star Wars" TV series, "The Mandalorian."
The actress and former MMA fighter was recently fired from her role on the hit science fiction show over comments she made on social media. The move marked the latest in a slew of calls for Disney, whose streaming service Disney+ plays home to "The Mandalorian," to fire Carano after she drew criticism for multiple posts on social media, including one in which she compared today's political divide to the events in Nazi Germany.
A new Change.org petition started by fans calling for Lucasfilm and Disney to give Carano her part on the show back and to keep politics out of their artistic decisions going forward.
"I'm not going to say she was right or wrong with her views, but firing celebrities over their political views has been happening way too often, and once again, Hollywood has struck down another conservative," the petition's author writes. "What she said may have been a little extreme, and I can even see why some people may have been offended, but her tweet was not made to incite violence or to express discrimination or hatred of any sort to any particular group."
'THE MANDALORIAN' FANS CALL ON DISNEY TO FIRE GINA CARANO AFTER TWEET MOCKING DEMOCRATS, MASKS
The description continues: "And now, once again, a beloved actress has been fired for speaking her mind. This petition is for the executives at Disney. Please, why can't you just leave politics out of the industry and press on? 'The Mandalorian' is a fantastic show, and Gina Carano's portrayal of Cara Dune is a joy to watch. The Mandalorian wouldn't be the same without her."
Gina Carano is teaming with The Daily Wire on a new movie project. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
As of this writing, the petition has more than 4,000 of the 5,000 signatures it seeks.
Carano played Cara Dune in seven episodes of "The Mandalorian" across its first two seasons in 2019 and 2020. She was rumored to be the center of the upcoming "Mandalorian" spin-off "Rangers of the New Republic" at Disney+, but Disney has not announced casting for the show.
Despite calls to reinstate her, Carano has already moved on from "The Mandalorian." According to Deadline, the actress is hitting back at Disney and cancel culture by partnering with Ben Shapiro’s The Daily Wire on a new movie project.
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"The Daily Wire is helping make one of my dreams — to develop and produce my own film — come true," the star told the outlet in a statement. "I cried out and my prayer was answered. I am sending out a direct message of hope to everyone living in fear of cancellation by the totalitarian mob. I have only just begun using my voice which is now freer than ever before, and I hope it inspires others to do the same. They can’t cancel us if we don’t let them."
Gina Carano was fired by Disney and Lucasfilm over comments she made on social media. (Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic)
Representatives for Carano did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.
While details about the project are being kept under wraps for now, the upcoming film will be released exclusively to The Daily Wire’s members in an effort to bolster its growing entertainment division.
"We could not be more excited to be working with Gina Carano, an incredible talent dumped by Disney and Lucasfilm for offending the authoritarian Hollywood Left. This is what Daily Wire exists to do: provide an alternative not just for consumers, but for creators who refuse to bow to the mob," Shapiro said in a statement to Deadline.
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"We’re eager to bring Gina’s talent to Americans who love her, and we’re just as eager to show Hollywood that if they want to keep cancelling those who think differently, they’ll just be helping us build the Xwing to take down their Death Star," he continued.
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