Former Mandalorian vet Gina Carano wrote a warm, lengthy tribute to her fellow Disney+ Star Wars series co-star, Carl Weathers, on Instagram. The actor died today at 76.
Carano, who was not welcomed back for a third season of The Mandalorian, or any other Star Wars spinoff, in the wake of making controversial comparisons in February 2021 about a divided U.S. to Nazi Germany, said that Weathers “called me directly after I was fired.”
Carano played bounty hunter Cara Dune for two seasons on The Mandalorian, while Weathers portrayed bounty hunter agent-turned later High Magistrate of Nevarro, Greef Karga. Weathers also directed nine episodes of The Mandalorian, and was nominated for Guest Actor in a Drama Series for the 2020 episode “Chapter 12: The Siege.”
“I wasn’t in an emotional state where I could pick up the phone because of how upset I was, but we did end up speaking later on,” she writes about hearing from Weathers post her Disney dismissal.
“He was gentle, and encouraging and didn’t want me to give up, he was letting me know that he wasn’t throwing me away, he was trying to keep my hope alive in what seemed like quite hopeless scenario, he showed me he cared. That is who he was.”
“I bonded with him very closely on Mando season 1&2,” writes Carano, “Jon Favreau felt he would be a good mentor for me because we shared the athlete turned actor bond, so John had him direct my first episode in season 2 of Mando.”
“I believe had we gotten to Rangers of the New Republic, Carl would’ve directed me in much more. Jon F. was right, we were a great fit.”
“Carl was a mentor to me on set, he would put both his arms on my shoulders and look me directly in the eyes to calm my spirit,” she expounded on IG, “He had a wonderful perspective of telling a story that can only come through his experience and wisdom that he shared with me to help make me shine. I cherish those moments.”
Read Carano’s full IG post below: