Despite petition, Gina Carano still to appear at Vancouver Fan Expo

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Controversial actor Gina Carano is among the celebrity guests set to attend this year’s Vancouver Fan Expo.

The former MMA star and actor, who appeared in Deadpool and The Mandalorian, is slated to join a roster of stars such as Elijah Wood and Rose McGowan at the expo taking place Feb. 17-19 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The annual event is billed as a “playground” for people who love “comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, gaming or cosplay.”

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But some fans are concerned about Carano’s participation in the event due to statements the actor has made on social media relating to topics such as COVID-19, U.S. politics and the LGBTQ+ community.

A petition shared on Change.org on Jan. 10 by a Surrey-based makeup artist and entertainer named Sarah W. Fox cites a concern that Carano’s “hateful and hurtful comments towards marginalized groups like the LGBTQ+ community and, in particular, trans people” could make people attending the event from those communities feel unsafe.

To date, the petition has garnered more than 1,100 signatures online.

“People are allowed to have their opposing viewpoints and I consider myself a centrist,” Fox said over the phone. “But when I saw a lot of Gina’s fans making comments, threats and harassing those who were opposed to her appearance, I started to wonder what might happen if someone from either side said something in a panel Q&A and it became combative. And, potentially, a safety issue.”

Fox, who has attended Fan Expo for the past six years, says she’s “never seen controversy around a guest like this” before.

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Vancouver Fan Expo organizers confirmed that Carano is still set to participate in the upcoming event, adding in an email statement provided to Postmedia News that the expo will be a “safe space” for all attendees.

“Every year, the show connects fans with their favourite celebrities. It has always been a safe space where fans can find programming that fits their specific interests, and interact with characters from their favourite TV shows, movies and games. We can assure fans that while at the show, every participant (including special guests) will be expected to uphold the same code of conduct to create a safe environment for everyone to celebrate the fandoms that unite us.”

On Jan. 15, Carano posted on social media about the upcoming event dates, noting how much she was looking forward to meeting attendees. “If you’ve never been to one of these I highly recommend. I can’t believe how much I enjoy them,” Carano wrote in the post.

Organizers added the show offers a forum for expression for participants to “express themselves and celebrate their passions” and that there will be a zero-tolerance policy for harassment. Additional information regarding Fan Expo policies can be found online at Fanexpohq.com.

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Fox told Postmedia she feels the appearance continuing without organizers considering feedback from fans is wrong.

As someone who is involved in the cosplay industry and relies on Fan Expo to make contacts, Fox still intends to attend the event.

Vancouver-based, Eisner award-winning comics artist Ian Boothby posted on social media Jan. 9 that he won’t be attending Fan Expo due to Carano’s appearance, and Fox wonders if others will follow suit.

Carano, who played character Cara Dune in the Disney+ Star Wars’ sequel The Mandalorian, was dropped by the series producer Lucasfilm following controversy around her online posts in 2021. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a spokesperson from Lucasfilm said Carano’s social-media posts related to “cultural and religious identities” were “abhorrent and unacceptable.”

sderdeyn@postmedia.com

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