Gina Carano Biography: Age, MMA Career, The Mandalorian Controversy & Disney Lawsuit Settlement

Gina Joy Carano is an American actress, former mixed martial artist, and fitness model who rose from being the “Face of Women’s MMA” to a Hollywood action star before becoming a controversial figure in the culture wars. From her groundbreaking fights in the cage to her starring role in Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire and her fan-favorite portrayal of Cara Dune in The Mandalorian, Carano’s career has been marked by trailblazing achievements and headline-making controversies. Her 2021 firing from Disney over social media posts led to a years-long legal battle that concluded with a landmark settlement in August 2025, potentially opening the door for her return to the Star Wars universe.

Quick Facts

Early Life & Education

Gina Joy Carano was born on April 16, 1982, in Dallas County, Texas, to Dana Joy Cason and Glenn Thomas Carano, a former professional football player and casino executive . When Gina was seven years old, her parents divorced, and she was raised primarily by her mother in Las Vegas, Nevada, alongside her two sisters .

Carano attended Trinity Christian High School in Las Vegas, where she excelled in multiple sports. She helped lead the girls’ basketball team to a state championship and also played volleyball and softball . Despite her athletic achievements, Carano has described herself as having “social anxiety like a motherf***er” and being an introvert .

After high school, Carano attended the University of Nevada, Reno for one year before transferring to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), where she majored in psychology for three years . She left during her final year to support her older sister through a personal crisis, prioritizing family over completing her degree .

Carano comes from a diverse ethnic background including English, Italian, Scottish, Dutch, Irish, and German heritage. Though she has only a small percentage of Italian ancestry, her family celebrates an “Italian festival” every year .

Career Journey

Muay Thai and Early Combat Sports (2000s)

Carano’s journey into combat sports began with Muay Thai, the Thai martial art known as “the art of eight limbs.” She compiled an impressive 12-1-1 record in Muay Thai competition before transitioning to mixed martial arts . Her success in Muay Thai was largely credited to the training and support of her longtime partner Kevin Ross, who got her into fight sports and helped transform her life .

Mixed Martial Arts Career (2006–2009)

Gina Carano made her professional MMA debut on June 10, 2006, at WEF: Orleans Arena, defeating Leiticia Pestova by knockout in just 39 seconds . Over the next three years, she compiled a 7-0 record while competing in EliteXC and Strikeforce, becoming one of the first female MMA fighters to gain mainstream recognition .

Her notable victories include:

• September 15, 2006: KO victory over Rosi Sexton at WPFC 1
• December 8, 2006: Decision win over Elaina Maxwell at Strikeforce: Triple Threat
• February 10, 2007: Decision win over Julie Kedzie at EliteXC: Destiny (first women’s MMA fight on Showtime)
• September 15, 2007: Submission victory over Tonya Evinger at EliteXC: Uprising
• May 31, 2008: TKO victory over Kaitlin Young at EliteXC: Primetime (first women’s MMA fight on primetime network television)
• October 4, 2008: Decision win over Kelly Kobold-Schmitz at EliteXC: Heat

Carano’s fight against Julie Kedzie earned “Fight of the Night” honors and marked a major milestone for women’s MMA . She became the #1 ranked Women Featherweight in the world by January 2009 .

The pinnacle of her MMA career came on August 15, 2009, when she faced Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino in the first women’s MMA fight to headline a major event (Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg) . Unfortunately, Carano lost via TKO in the first round at 4:59, suffering her first and only professional defeat . This loss marked the end of her MMA career, as she never fought professionally again.

American Gladiators and Early Television (2007–2008)

While building her MMA career, Carano expanded her media presence. In 2007, she appeared in the Oxygen reality series Fight Girls as a mentor to aspiring fighters . She also starred in the 2005 documentary film Ring Girls, about five American women challenging Thai Muay Thai fighters .

Carano’s breakthrough television role came in 2008 when she was cast as “Crush” on NBC’s reboot of American Gladiators . The show, hosted by Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali, featured Carano as one of the gladiators competing against amateur athletes. The reboot was a ratings success, with 12 million viewers tuning in for the premiere—NBC’s highest-rated series debut since Heroes in 2006 . Carano appeared in 16 episodes and also starred in the show’s workout video released in December 2008 .

Breakthrough in Film: Haywire (2011)

Carano’s transition to Hollywood stardom came when director Steven Soderbergh saw her fighting on television and decided to build an entire action film around her . She landed the lead role of Mallory Kane in Haywire (2011), an action-thriller featuring an ensemble cast including Channing Tatum, ewan mcgregor, Michael Fassbender, Antonio Banderas, and Michael Douglas .

Soderbergh made the bold decision to have Carano perform all her own stunts, showcasing her genuine martial arts skills in long, unbroken fight sequences . The film’s fight scenes were choreographed to show that no stunt performers were involved, with Carano leading rehearsals with her co-stars . In a controversial creative choice, Soderbergh electronically altered Carano’s voice in post-production to make her character sound different .

Despite being a box office disappointment, Haywire earned Carano a nomination for Best Actress in an Action Movie at the 18th Critics’ Choice Awards and established her as a legitimate action star .

Major Film Roles (2013–2019)

Following Haywire, Carano secured roles in several high-profile productions:

• Fast & Furious 6 (2013): Played Riley Hicks, a DSS agent who turns out to be a villain
• In the Blood (2014): Starred as Ava in this direct-to-video action film
• Heist (2015): Played Officer Kris Bauhaus
• Deadpool (2016): Portrayed Angel Dust, a mutant villain, in the Marvel blockbuster that earned 85% on Rotten Tomatoes—her highest-rated film
• Kickboxer: Vengeance (2016): Played Marcia
• Scorched Earth (2018): Starred as Atticus Gage
• Daughter of the Wolf (2019): Played Clair Hamilton

The Mandalorian and Disney Era (2019–2021)

Carano’s highest-profile role came when she was cast as Carasynthia “Cara” Dune in the Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian . Her character—a former Rebel Alliance shock trooper turned marshal—became a fan favorite during the show’s first two seasons. Carano appeared in 7 episodes from 2019 to 2020 and was positioned for an expanded role, including a planned spinoff series titled Rangers of the New Republic .

The role made Carano a household name and seemed to cement her status as a rising action star in the Disney empire.

Firing and Controversy (2021)

Carano’s tenure at Disney came to an abrupt end in February 2021 following a series of controversial social media posts . The final straw was an Instagram Story in which she shared an image comparing the treatment of conservatives in America to Jewish people during the Holocaust . The post stated: “Jews were beaten in the streets, not by Nazi soldiers but by their neighbors… even by children. Because history is edited, most people today don’t realize that to get to the point where Nazi soldiers could easily round up thousands of Jews, the government first made their own neighbors hate them simply for being Jews. How is that any different from hating someone for their political views?”

This was not Carano’s first controversial post. In September 2020, she had faced backlash for changing her Twitter bio to “beep/bop/boop” in response to pressure to include pronouns, which some interpreted as mocking transgender people . She also posted conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines, alleged voter fraud in the 2020 election, and jeffrey epstein’s death .

On February 10, 2021, Lucasfilm announced: “Gina Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm and there are no plans for her to be in the future” . The company stated that “her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable” . Then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek explained that Disney fired Carano because her comments didn’t align with the company’s values of “respect, decency, integrity and inclusion” .

Post-Disney Career and Conservative Media (2021–Present)

Following her firing, Carano pivoted to conservative media. In February 2021, she announced a partnership with The Daily Wire to develop, produce, and star in films . Her first project was Terror on the Prairie (2022), a Western in which she played Hattie McAllister and also served as producer . The film was released exclusively to Daily Wire subscribers on June 14, 2022, earning only $13,115 from limited international theatrical releases .

She also appeared in the political satire My Son Hunter (2022) as Agent Hound .

The Lawsuit and Settlement (2024–2025)

In February 2024, Carano sued Disney and Lucasfilm for wrongful termination and discrimination, seeking at least $75,000 in damages and either reinstatement or compensation . The lawsuit, funded by X (formerly Twitter) owner elon musk, claimed that Disney fired her for expressing conservative political views .

Disney argued they had a First Amendment right to disassociate from Carano’s speech, citing her posts about the Holocaust, COVID-19, the 2020 election, and transgender rights .

On August 7, 2025, both parties announced a settlement . Lucasfilm stated: “Ms. Carano was always well respected by her directors, co-stars, and staff, and she worked hard to perfect her craft while treating her colleagues with kindness and respect… With this lawsuit concluded, we look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future” . Carano expressed excitement about the outcome, thanking Elon Musk for funding her legal battle and stating, “I hope this brings some healing to the force” .

A LEGACY SHOWDOWN 🔥 #RouseyCarano

ronda rousey vs. GINA CARANO
Saturday May 16
LIVE only on Netflix pic.twitter.com/cybtQHNyPT

— Netflix Sports (@netflixsports) February 17, 2026

Personal Life

Relationship with Kevin Ross

Gina Carano is in a long-term relationship with Kevin Ross, an American Muay Thai fighter and kickboxer . The couple first dated from 2004 to 2008, then reunited in 2015 after a decade apart . Ross has been described as Carano’s “rock and inspiration,” and she credits him with getting her into fight sports and helping transform her life .

In a 2017 interview, Carano described their relationship: “Kevin’s somebody I met 16 years ago… We met each other and he’s the only person in my life whose eyes I can look into for such a long time and not say any words. That’s all I needed” . She explained that she left him initially but he contacted her for 10 years, and they eventually found their way back together .

Relationship with Henry Cavill

Before reuniting with Ross, Carano had a high-profile on-again, off-again relationship with British actor Henry Cavill from 2012 to 2014 . They dated for two years, broke up in 2013, briefly reconciled, and ultimately split for good in 2014 . The couple adopted a dog together during their relationship . Despite the breakup, they reportedly maintained a close friendship afterward .

Family Life

Carano remains close to her family, including her two sisters Casey and Christie . She left college to support her older sister during a personal crisis, demonstrating her family-first values . Her father Glenn Carano, despite divorcing her mother when Gina was young, remained an influential figure in her life .

Personality and Interests

Despite her tough exterior and fighting career, Carano has described herself as an introvert with social anxiety . She has spoken openly about the mental pressure of competition and the emotional toll of watching loved ones compete . Outside of acting and martial arts, she enjoys outdoor activities and maintains a strong presence on social media where she shares her political views and personal life.

Controversies

Social Media Posts and Disney Firing (2021)

The primary controversy of Carano’s career centers on her social media activity leading to her Disney firing. The key incidents included:

• September 2020: Changing her Twitter bio to “beep/bop/boop” in response to pressure to include pronouns, which critics interpreted as mocking transgender people
• 2020–2021: Posts spreading conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines, alleged voter fraud, and Jeffrey Epstein’s death
• February 2021: The Instagram post comparing conservative treatment to Jewish persecution during the Holocaust that led to her firing

Carano defended herself by stating she was “not against trans lives at all” and that her posts were about “exposing the bullying mentality of the mob” . She claimed her words were “consistently twisted to demonize & dehumanize me as an alt right wing extremist” .

Lawsuit Fallout (2024–2025)

The lawsuit settlement in August 2025 generated mixed reactions. While Carano celebrated it as vindication, critics noted that Disney’s statement left the door open for future collaboration without explicitly admitting wrongdoing . The settlement amount was not disclosed, and the agreement ended what could have been a landmark First Amendment case about corporate control of employee speech.

Awards & Achievements

• “Face of Women’s MMA”: Recognized as the first mainstream female MMA star and pioneer for women in the sport
• First Women’s MMA Headliner: Along with Cris Cyborg, became the first women to headline a major MMA event (Strikeforce, August 15, 2009)
• First Women’s MMA on Primetime Network TV: Her 2008 fight against Kaitlin Young was the first women’s MMA bout on primetime network television
• Critics’ Choice Award Nomination: Nominated for Best Actress in an Action Movie for Haywire (2012)
• American Gladiators Success: Part of NBC’s highest-rated series debut since Heroes (2006)
• Disney Lawsuit Settlement: Successfully settled wrongful termination lawsuit against Disney/Lucasfilm (August 2025)

Physical Statistics

Quotes

“I would like to act. I genuinely think it would be a good idea. I have enough experience of drama because that’s what my life has been.”

“I’m not against trans lives at all. They need to find less abusive representation.” — On her controversial pronoun bio change

“I hope this brings some healing to the force.” — On settling her lawsuit with Disney/Lucasfilm, August 2025

“I think you’d much rather be the person getting punched than the person having to watch someone getting punched… I sympathize with a lot of people who have loved ones out there. It’s not fun.” — On watching her partner Kevin Ross compete

“Kevin’s somebody I met 16 years ago… We met each other and he’s the only person in my life whose eyes I can look into for such a long time and not say any words. That’s all I needed.” — On her relationship with Kevin Ross

“I am excited to flip the page and move onto the next chapter. My desires remain in the arts, which is where I hope you will join me. Yes, I’m smiling.” — After settling her Disney lawsuit

Favorites

• Sports: Muay Thai, MMA, basketball, volleyball, softball
• Hobbies: Martial arts training, outdoor activities, fitness, acting
• Causes: Conservative political causes, free speech advocacy, anti-“cancel culture” activism
• Travel: Montana (where Terror on the Prairie was filmed), Las Vegas
• Entertainment: Western films, action movies, Star Wars franchise

Earnings & Net Worth

Gina Carano’s net worth is estimated at $4–5 million as of 2025 . Her income sources include:

• MMA Career: Earnings from EliteXC and Strikeforce fights (2006–2009)
• Acting: Salaries from Haywire ($150,000 reported), Fast & Furious 6, Deadpool, and The Mandalorian
• Television: American Gladiators earnings and appearance fees
• Producing: Producer credit on Terror on the Prairie (2022)
• Lawsuit Settlement: Undisclosed amount from Disney/Lucasfilm settlement (August 2025)
• Conservative Media: Partnership with The Daily Wire for film projects

Carano claimed in her lawsuit that she lost “millions of dollars in income” from her Disney firing . Her financial situation was likely impacted by her transition from major studio productions to conservative media projects with smaller budgets.

Interesting Facts

• Carano was the first woman to headline a major MMA event alongside Cris Cyborg in 2009
• Steven Soderbergh electronically altered her voice in Haywire because he “wanted Mallory Kane to be a completely different entity”
• She performed all her own stunts in Haywire, including a scene where she was thrown through a wall-mounted TV—nailed on the first take
• Her father Glenn Carano was a professional football player and later a casino executive
• She left college during her final year to support her older sister through a personal crisis
• Carano has described herself as having “social anxiety like a motherf***er” despite her tough public image
• She was the fifth-most Googled person in the world when Soderbergh cast her in Haywire
• Her lawsuit against Disney was funded by Elon Musk
• Lucasfilm’s settlement statement left open the possibility of future collaboration

Did You Know?

• Carano’s fight against Julie Kedzie in 2007 was the first women’s MMA fight on Showtime and earned “Fight of the Night” honors
• She was originally supposed to star in a film adaptation of “White Knuckle” by Eric Red, but that project was pushed back in favor of Terror on the Prairie
• Terror on the Prairie earned only $804 during its one-day US theatrical release and $13,115 internationally
• Carano appeared as “Crush” in 16 episodes of American Gladiators and starred in the show’s workout video
• She played the Soviet sniper Natasha Volkova in the video game Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (2008)
• Her character Cara Dune was supposed to get a spinoff series Rangers of the New Republic before her firing

Social Media Links

• Instagram: @ginajcarano
• Facebook: @ginacarano
• Twitter/X: @ginacarano
• IMDb: Gina Carano

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Gina Carano fired from The Mandalorian?
Gina Carano was fired from The Mandalorian in February 2021 after sharing controversial social media posts, including one comparing the treatment of conservatives in America to Jewish people during the Holocaust. Lucasfilm stated her posts “denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities” were “abhorrent and unacceptable” .

What was the outcome of Gina Carano’s lawsuit against Disney?
In August 2025, Carano settled her wrongful termination lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm. The settlement terms were undisclosed, but Lucasfilm’s statement noted they “look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future,” suggesting potential future collaboration .

Is Gina Carano returning to The Mandalorian or Star Wars?
While no official announcement has been made, the August 2025 settlement statement from Lucasfilm left the door open for future collaboration. Carano expressed excitement about “healing the force,” fueling speculation about a possible return as Cara Dune .

Who is Gina Carano’s partner?
Gina Carano has been in a relationship with Kevin Ross, an American Muay Thai fighter and kickboxer, since 2015. They previously dated from 2004–2008 and reunited after a decade apart .

Did Gina Carano date Henry Cavill?
Yes, Carano had an on-again, off-again relationship with British actor Henry Cavill from 2012 to 2014. They adopted a dog together but never married .

What is Gina Carano’s MMA record?
Gina Carano’s professional MMA record is 7 wins and 1 loss. She won her first seven fights before losing to Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino by TKO on August 15, 2009 .

What is Gina Carano’s net worth?
Gina Carano’s net worth is estimated at $4–5 million as of 2025, derived from her MMA career, acting roles, producing credits, and her recent settlement with Disney .

Conclusion

Gina Carano’s journey from the “Face of Women’s MMA” to Hollywood action star to conservative media figure encapsulates the complex intersection of entertainment, politics, and cancel culture in modern America. Her pioneering role in women’s mixed martial arts helped legitimize the sport and pave the way for fighters like Ronda Rousey. Her transition to acting under Steven Soderbergh’s direction in Haywire demonstrated that authentic martial arts skills could translate to compelling cinema.

However, it was her role as Cara Dune in The Mandalorian that made her a household name—and her subsequent firing that made her a symbol in the culture wars. The August 2025 settlement of her lawsuit against Disney marks not just a personal victory but potentially a new chapter in her career. Whether she returns to the Star Wars universe or continues building her presence in conservative media, Carano remains a figure who defies easy categorization: an introvert who fought professionally, a woman celebrated for her strength who speaks of vulnerability, and an actress whose authentic combat skills both launched and complicated her Hollywood career.

As she herself said after settling her lawsuit, her “desires remain in the arts.” For fans and critics alike, the next act of Gina Carano’s unconventional career will be worth watching.

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