After months of causing controversy on social media, Gina Carano has been fired by Lucasfilm and will no longer be a part of the Star Wars universe. The former MMA fighter played Cara Dune across the first two seasons of The Mandalorian and was all set to get her own spinoff series, too, before the studio cut ties with her. A lot of folks support the decision to fire her but, at the same time, will also miss the character, who was a firm fan favorite.
There’s a growing desire for the role to be recast for The Mandalorian season 3, then, instead of simply being written out, and the internet has decided who should take over for Carano. A Change.org petition has been set up calling for the studio to hire actress Lana Parrilla, most known for ABC’s Once Upon a Time, as the new Cara Dune. Here’s how the plea, as created by fan Ryan Marquez, backs up its position:
Gina Carano has finally been fired for her abhorrent racist and transphobic remarks. However, it leaves the role of Cara Dune open-ended. Should her character simply disappear, be killed off, or are the shoes just the right size for another? Perhaps Lana Parilla, one of the lead’s in ABC’s “Once Upon A Time.” She’s no stranger to Disney and would fit the role perfectly. Lana would be a great addition alongside Pedro Pascal & co.
This petition is presumably inspired by the many tweets going around on Twitter from those who think this recasting would be a great idea, based off Parrilla’s own popularity and the fact that she doesn’t look too dissimilar to Carano. And below, you can find just a few examples of the support for the actress joining the SW galaxy:
Lana Parrilla for Cara Dune! Nobody will even notice! Except the acting will get better! pic.twitter.com/SaB7AFzkcV
— Patrick Dougall (@PatrickADougall) February 10, 2021
https://twitter.com/thecantinatalk/status/1359742159604371457
Good riddance. ✌🏼
May I suggest casting @LanaParrilla as Cara Dune now? https://t.co/sgHrgsJMzd
— Chelsie 🌙 (@ChelsieInNvrlnd) February 11, 2021
https://twitter.com/CoolKev_/status/1359883149476569088
PUT LANA PARILLA IN THE MANDALORIAN #TheMandalorian
— Rita (@mandalorita) February 11, 2021
https://twitter.com/fluffybook/status/1359879905203412995
I love that so many people are on the Lana Parilla for Cara Dune train!
Two Latino actors leading Star Wars 🙌 pic.twitter.com/6l4NgpmN5j
— Ren Geekness (@RenGeekness) February 11, 2021
Others are less keen on the concept, though, seeing as what made Carano the best fit for the gig was her experience in MMA, which helped her nail the role of an action heroine like Dune. Parrilla, on the other hand, doesn’t have that kind of background. Still, plenty of actresses have been known to bulk up and train hard to play action-oriented parts – see any leading lady in the MCU, for example.
At this stage, though, it’s unclear whether Lucasfilm intends to retire the character along with Gina Carano or is willing to recast the role and go ahead with expanding her importance as originally planned. All we know is that The Mandalorian season 3 is due to shoot in the spring ahead of its arrival next year.