Gina Joy Carano was born on April 16, 1982, in Dallas County, Texas. She is the daughter of Glenn Carano, a former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, and Dana Cason. She attended Trinity Christian High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she excelled in basketball, softball, and volleyball. She briefly attended the University of Nevada, Reno, and later the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Before her acting career, Carano was a professional mixed martial artist. She began her MMA career in 2006 and competed in organizations such as EliteXC and Strikeforce. She gained recognition for her striking skills and charismatic personality, contributing to the growing popularity of women’s MMA. Her professional MMA record stands at 7 wins and 1 loss.
Carano’s transition into acting began with the role of Crush in the 2008 revival of the television show American Gladiators. This appearance brought her to a wider audience and paved the way for future acting opportunities.
Carano made her feature film debut in Steven Soderbergh’s 2011 action film Haywire, where she played the lead role of Mallory Kane, a black ops operative. The film showcased her fighting skills and established her as an action star. She then appeared in the 2013 film Fast & Furious 6 as Riley Hicks, a member of Diplomatic Security Service. In 2014, she starred in the independent action film In the Blood.
Other notable roles include:
She gained further recognition for her role as Cara Dune in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian (2019-2020). Her involvement with the series ended in 2021.
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