Giancarlo Esposito Opens up About 'The Mandalorian' Co-Star Gina Carano

Earlier this year, Lucasfilm cut ties with MMA fighter-turned-actress Gina Carano — who plays Cara Dune in the fan-favorite Star Wars series The Mandalorian — over her controversial social media posts, but despite several months passing by, some of her colleagues still have yet to comment on her departure. While some are worried about fan reactions to anything they might say about Carano, Moff Gideon actor Giancarlo Esposito has now decided to open up about his relationship with her while working on set together.

Speaking to fans at the Denver FAN EXPO, Esposito was asked who his favorite person to work with on The Mandalorian was, to which he answered Carano. “I’ll say it without hesitation: Gina Carano,” the American actor began. “I’m not gonna weigh in on any of that in particular, 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 got to say what I believe because it has to go on record.”

“I loved working with her,” Esposito continued. “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 say she’s one of my favorites.”

Since Carano’s firing from the show, she has gone on to be cast in a film based on Eric Red’s novel White Knuckle. Esposito himself will return to The Mandalorian for season two, reprising his role as Moff Gideon.

Elsewhere in entertainment, Taika Waititi is planning on adapting Alejandro Jodorowsky’s graphic novel The Incal.