Gina Carano Wins Big Against Disney in Lawsuit Discovery Battle—Judge Orders Disney to Hand Over Actor Pay Records Within 20 Days

In a major legal victory for Gina Carano in her lawsuit against Disney, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California has granted a motion to compel Disney to turn over key documents related to how other Star Wars actors were compensated—including big names like Pedro Pascal, Rosario Dawson, and the cast of The Mandalorian & Grogu. The order comes after eight months of what Carano described as Disney’s “deflection and stalling” in her wrongful termination lawsuit.

Gina Carano speaking at the 2015 San Diego Comic Con International, for “Deadpool”, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

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The court order, issued in Case No. 2:24-cv-01009, forces Disney to comply within 20 days, handing over verified spreadsheets showing how actors were paid across The Mandalorian, related Disney+ shows, and the upcoming film. The ruling partially grants Carano’s motion to compel, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing battle between the Cara Dune actress and one of Hollywood’s largest media corporations.

Discovery motion granted in @ginacarano‘s case against Disney! The court is forcing Disney to turn over information about how stars like Pedro Pascal, Rosario Dawson, & others from The Mandalorian, other Disney+ Star Wars shows, and the forthcoming movie The Mandalorian & Grogu… pic.twitter.com/oPpwNwoVNy

— Gene Schaerr (@GSchaerr) April 7, 2025

“Discovery motion granted in @ginacarano’s case against Disney!” wrote her attorney Gene Schaerr on X. “The court is forcing Disney to turn over information about how stars like Pedro Pascal, Rosario Dawson, & others from The Mandalorian, other Disney+ Star Wars shows, and the forthcoming movie The Mandalorian & Grogu were compensated for their roles.”

What Is a Motion to Compel—And What Just Happened?

A motion to compel is basically a legal way of saying: “They’re not giving us what they’re supposed to. Judge, make them.”

Carano’s legal team filed this motion back on April 2 after eight months of what they claim was stonewalling by Disney during the discovery process.

(L_R): Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) and Cara Dune (Gina Carano) in Lucasfilm’s THE MANDALORIAN, season two, exclusively on Disney+. ©.

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In plain terms: her lawyers need access to Disney’s internal data so a damages expert can calculate what Carano likely would’ve earned had she not been fired in 2021. The court agreed, finding that Carano’s request for pay data across Star Wars actors was reasonable, relevant, and necessary to establish lost income.

According to the court document: “The root substantive and material question relevant to the parties’ claims or defenses is what information Plaintiff needs (on its own terms or to provide to her testifying damages expert) in order to help establish the amount of compensation she could have reasonably expected to earn from her employment with Walt Disney (in a but-for scenario) had Walt Disney not terminated her employment from The Mandalorian television show in February 2021.”

What Did Gina Win—and What’s Next?

While the court didn’t grant everything Carano asked for, it gave her legal team the green light on several key points:

1. Disney must produce actor compensation records within 20 days of the order.
2. The documents must include verified spreadsheets—not vague summaries or cherry-picked numbers.
3. The scope includes The Mandalorian, other Disney+ Star Wars series, and the upcoming Mandalorian & Grogu film.
4. If more records are needed, Carano’s lawyers can ask for additional evidence after reviewing what Disney hands over.

In short: this isn’t just a minor win in the Gina Carano Disney lawsuit—this opens the door to even more discovery if the expert believes the first batch isn’t enough.

(Left to right) Gina Carano is Cara Dune, Pedro Pascal is the Mandalorian and Carl Weathers is Greef Karga in THE MANDALORIAN, season two, exclusively on Disney+

“The order shows the court won’t let Disney bury relevant information in this high-stakes battle by playing procedural games,” Schaerr said.

What the Court Granted Gina Carano

The judge granted Carano’s motion to compel in part, ordering Disney to hand over the following within 20 calendar days, unless both sides agree to other deadlines:

Required Documents:
1. Actor Compensation Summaries:
Disney must provide verified spreadsheets or summaries showing how much these actors were paid:

• Pedro Pascal, Rosario Dawson, Carl Weathers — across The Mandalorian Seasons 1–3.
• Rosario Dawson in The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka Seasons 1–2.
• Amandla Stenberg in The Acolyte.
• Diego Luna in Andor Seasons 1–2.

2. Carl Weathers’ Contracts:
Disney must turn over Carl Weathers’ actual contracts for The Mandalorian Seasons 1–3, with redactions limited to personal or rep info.

Gina Carano is Cara Dune and Carl Weathers is Greef Karga in Lucasfilm’s THE MANDALORIAN, season two, exclusively on Disney+. ©.

3. Mandalorian Movie Pay Data:
A spreadsheet showing compensation for any actor from the series reprising their role in The Mandalorian & Grogu movie, with Disney again required to verify the accuracy.

4. General Compensation Practices:
Disney must also provide verified information (either in writing or through discovery) explaining how lead and supporting actors are compensated across Star Wars Disney+ shows—The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, The Acolyte, and Skeleton Crew—especially if pay structures differ between series.

What the Court Denied Gina Carano (For Now)

The judge denied Carano’s requests for other actor contracts (besides Carl Weathers) and the budgets and profits from Star Wars shows and films.

Gina Carano is Cara Dune and Carl Weathers is Greef Karga in Lucasfilm’s THE MANDALORIAN, season two, exclusively on Disney+. ©.

However, this door isn’t fully closed.

The court said Carano’s team can renew these requests after they disclose their expert witness—but only if that expert lays out exactly how those figures tie into their damages model and proves that no other available data could serve as a substitute.

So, this was a strategic denial, not a shutdown.

Other Key Notes from the Order

• The 20-day timeline is strict, but the parties can agree to modify it as long as it doesn’t violate the trial schedule.
• The info can be given on an attorneys-eyes-only basis, but Gina’s expert is allowed to use it to build her case.
• Disney tried to get sanctions or penalties against Carano’s side—the court flat-out denied that request.
• The April 23 hearing was cancelled because the judge resolved the issue in writing.

What If Disney Doesn’t Comply With Gina Carano Motion to Compel?

If Disney misses the 20-day deadline—or tries to drag its feet again—there are serious consequences.

The court can issue sanctions against the company, including fines or forcing Disney to pay Carano’s legal fees for wasting time. The judge could also strip Disney’s right to object to future evidence disclosures—meaning Carano’s team could gain access to even more internal data with less resistance. In the worst-case scenario, Disney could be found in contempt of court. That’s the legal equivalent of poking the bear—and would reflect terribly in public and in the courtroom.

Bob Iger via New York Times Events YouTube

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More importantly, failing to comply would paint Disney as obstructive and possibly guilty of hiding something. It would bolster Carano’s claim that her firing wasn’t just unfair—it was targeted and discriminatory.

A Pattern of Disrespect?

This legal breakthrough comes just days after Carano blasted Disney on X for continuously disrespecting her long after her firing. That includes the recent ESPN Women’s History Month tribute that scrubbed her entirely from the legacy of Mixed Martial Arts, despite her central role in establishing the sport.

Gina Carano walks to the ring for an MMA Fight – YouTube, Jehu Media

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“Disney’s discrimination is plain as day,” Gina said in her earlier post. “Maybe that is why they are delaying providing the proof sitting right in their files.”

Gina Carano has also accused Disney of holding a double standard when it comes to political or ideological statements made by actors—pointing out that others in the company’s orbit have made far more controversial comments without facing termination.

Cara Dune (Gina Carano) in Lucasfilm’s THE MANDALORIAN.

The Gina Carano Disney lawsuit, supported financially by Elon Musk, has become a rallying point for critics of cancel culture, forced corporate ideology, and the erasure of dissenting views from entertainment.

With this latest court order, the stakes just got higher—and Disney’s usual “no comment” strategy may not hold water for much longer.

What do you make of this latest development in the Gina Carano Disney lawsuit? Sound off in the comments and let us know!

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