much ado about mulan Disney’s live action version of Mulan is already attracting some unexpected attention By Rosie Liu
W
hen Disney revealed its promotional posters for the highly anticipated, live-action version of Mulan slated to come out in March 2020, controversy ensued. Not because the beloved dragon Mushu has no role in the live-action movie, but for political reasons. Most millennials share fond childhood memories of the animated Mulan film released in 1998. But these warm memories are becoming stained by political controversy as some audiences have voiced their anger toward the lead actress Liu Yifei. The tale of “Mulan” is a legend from Chinese history. Many Mandarin speakers, especially women, take pride in her as she demonstrates their values of intelligence, bravery, strength and love for family. Many people from the People’s Republic of China feel Liu Yifei’s casting was in poor taste. This is because Liu, known for her role as Golden Sparrow in The Forbidden Kingdom, is a 32-yearold Chinese American actress. Before the age of 10, Liu only had Chinese citizenship, but after moving to the States following her parents’ divorce, she took on American nationality. To Chinese audiences, the casting of an actress who not only lives outside of mainland China but is American is an unacceptable representation of their country and culture. Many mainland Chinese have already claimed on so-
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Scene from Mulan (2020)
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