The Mandalorian star Giancarlo Esposito gives an honest answer to the question of who is his favourite co-star and named Gina Carano.

The Mandalorian star Giancarlo Esposito reveals that his favourite co-star on the Star Wars series is Gina Carano, despite her dismissal earlier this year. Esposito and Carano are two different sides of The Mandalorian, with Esposito portraying the evil Moff Gideon and Carano playing the reluctant hero Cara Dune. Both played a central role in the first two seasons of the series, but while Esposito is definitely set to return in The Mandalorian in season 3, Carano’s time in the galaxy far, far away was cut short earlier this year.

Carano had been criticized for controversial posts on social media. The conservative actress was against masks in the coronavirus pandemic’s face and made statements deemed transphobic and anti-Semitic. As the online outcry against her grew, Lucasfilm fired Carano from The Mandalorian and any potential spinoffs in which she was to appear. Cara Dune will be removed instead of recast, and it remains to be seen if The Mandalorian will recognize her in the future. For her part, Carano has moved on to other projects, and there have been fans who have criticized the decision to let her go, even as others have celebrated her.

Politics aside, there is one Mandalorian star who proudly shows his affection for Carano. Speaking at FAN EXPO Denver (via Joe Turner), Esposito answered the question of who he likes to work with the most, The Mandalorian, by giving Carano his full support. He avoided commenting on her dismissal or where they might disagree with their personal views, simply explaining why he likes to act opposite her. Esposito said:

“Okay, I’ll say it without hesitation: Gina Carano. I’m not gonna weigh in on any of that [controversy] in particular other than any of her political beliefs or what she said, whether I think it’s inappropriate or appropriate or not. We as actors probably sometimes – I know for me – I should just shut my mouth. But sometimes I can’t. I’ve got to say what I believe because it has to go on record. I loved working with her. She’s warm and beautiful and wonderful, and you know, I don’t care what her politics are. I love the fact that she came to acting late and that she was so raw and original and beautiful, and I just think she’s a lovely person. So I shout her out, and I say she’s one of my favourites.”

After she was fired, Esposito joined The Mandalorian’s Armorer actress Emily Swallow in offering public support to Carano. Like Esposito, Swallow sidestepped the subject of what happened and focused on Carano’s personality on set. For those working on The Mandalorian, this must be a difficult situation to navigate, and, understandably, some of them always enjoyed working with Carano even despite opposing views. Carano seemed to feel the same way because after she was fired, she insisted that she still had a love for Mandalorian running Pedro Pascal.

Regardless of the actors’ personal feelings, filming on The Mandalorian season 3 began without Carano on board. It will be strange to have a season of the Disney + series without Carano’s involvement, as she was an essential part of the first episodes. Still, Pascal’s Din Djarin will inevitably have his hands full with Moff Gideon when The Mandalorian returns, so perhaps his absence won’t be felt too much. Fans will just have to wait and see for themselves.

Source: oxtero