'Mulan' Live-Action Lead Star Liu Yifei is Asia's Emma Watson; Ming-Na Wen Says She's Perfect
Disney picked actress Liu Yifei, also known as Crystal Liu, to lead the live-action "Mulan" movie. Fans who worried about whitewashing the role hailed the choice because Liu is a hundred percent Chinese.
Liu is also a big star in Asia and her status is comparable to Emma Watson, who starred in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" live-action. Aside from both women becoming a Disney princess, Liu, like Watson, also has a clean and wholesome image that helped her land several movie and endorsement deals, according to Quartz.
Like Watson, Liu also has her fair share of criticisms as a box-office star. She remains popular, however, with over 53 million followers on the Chines social media platform.
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Liu was one of a thousand hopefuls who auditioned for the role of Mulan across the globe. Disney specifically looked for a Chinese actress who could speak English and know martial arts, as well as possess star quality. The actress grew up in Queens, New York but studied film at the Beijing Film Academy.
For actress Ming-Na Wen, who voiced Mulan in the 1998 animated movie, Liu is the perfect choice. Wen revealed she sent Liu a congratulatory message on Twitter to show her support.
"I think she's really, really just perfect for that part and Disney did a really great job," Wen said. "I think this morning, I just saw it recently, that she tweeted me back, so I look forward to meeting her. I think it's fantastic."
Meanwhile, director Niki Caro told The Hollywood Reporter that the new version of "Mulan" will take points from both the animation and the classic Chinese ballad about the legendary character. It's unclear what songs will be in the new film but Caro confirmed that music will still be a big part of the live-action.
Filming for the "Mulan" with Liu and Caro will begin in early 2018. Disney is eyeing the film's release for 2019.
