A Disney attorney argued in court that the company has a constitutional right to choose not to associate its artistic expression with Gina Carano’s speech, and therefore her claims are barred by the First Amendment. Disney cannot be forced to have actors whose outside speech undermines the organization’s message, the attorney stated in a motion to dismiss Carano’s lawsuit. Disney contends that its actions are protected by the First Amendment, which prevents the government from dictating how artistic creators can develop and express their messages. Carano sued Disney in February, claiming her firing violated the California Labor Code after the company chose not to include her character in future Star Wars storylines due to her public statements. Carano has filed a lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm, claiming she was targeted for expressing views that did not align with those of the companies. The lawsuit alleges harassment, termination, and defamation. It also points out that male co-stars made offensive posts towards Republicans and conservatives without facing similar consequences.
The complaint includes three counts against Disney. The first count states that Disney violated California Labor Code provisions by interfering with employees’ political activities. The second count alleges that Disney took adverse actions against Carano based on her protected activity. The final count claims that Disney discriminated against Carano based on her sex.
The lawsuit describes Disney as enforcing a singular ideology and punishing those who do not comply. Carano’s attorney, Gene Schaerr, accuses Disney of bullying and firing her for not conforming to their views on cultural and political issues.
Carano was reportedly defamed by Disney mischaracterizing her social media posts and character, leading to the loss of future job opportunities. In response to the lawsuit, Carano expressed gratitude to Elon Musk’s company for supporting her fight for free speech.
The Epoch Times has reached out to Carano’s attorney for further comment on the matter.
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