Chinese actress Liu Yifei, known as Crystal Liu, is officially a Disney princess. The 30-year-old actress has been cast as Mulan for Disney’s live-action remake of the 1998 animated movie.
Liu Yifei Has Been Cast as #Mulan in the Upcoming Live-Action Film: https://t.co/rKn6minNV4 pic.twitter.com/hkmJW0AdMv
— Disney (@Disney) November 29, 2017
The original animated Mulan grossed $304.3 million worldwide and featured Ming-Na Wen as the voice of Mulan.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the search for a Mulan took more than a year and required casting directors to visit five continents and see almost 1,000 possible actresses.
The role required martial arts skills, which Crystal Liu has from other action-thriller films she has been part of. In 2008 she was in The Forbidden Kingdom with Jackie Chan and in 2015 she played a role in IP Man 3.
Crystal Liu is the first to be cast in this new Disney adaptation, set to release in 2019. The internet is thrilled to see a Chinese actress properly portraying a Chinese character.
We have our Chinese Mulan! 🎉🌸🗡 Liu Yi Fei has just been casted as Mulan in #Disney’s live-action adaptation of #Mulan 🎉#刘亦菲 #花木兰 #liuyifei #crystalliu pic.twitter.com/ui9H3Mqp6l
— cdrama tweets (@dramapotatoe) November 29, 2017
the mulan we deserve 🌸🗡♥️#刘亦菲 #liuyifei #crystalliu #mulan #disney pic.twitter.com/ZpFKK7X84w
— cdrama tweets (@dramapotatoe) November 29, 2017
https://twitter.com/ManuBlinkVIP/status/935928312844771329
when you see #disney actually cast a Chinese actress to play in the live action #mulan movie! pic.twitter.com/Xxiig2xDuu
— DONJUAN! (@muddyboots26) November 29, 2017
I think we're all just happy and a little bit relieved that Disney cast an actual Chinese actress to play #Mulan. pic.twitter.com/14GF0LAiFm
— Rotimi au Akinbiyi 🪙 (@TimiFrost) November 29, 2017
https://twitter.com/mcgrcffin/status/935967501187534853
No word yet on the rest of the Mulan cast.
IF DISNEY MESSES UP SHANG, WE WILL RIOT!! #MULAN pic.twitter.com/83M8p1iAv2
— Daniel (@hesjustdaniel) November 29, 2017
I want Eddie Murphy to be Mushu in the live-action #Mulan I don’t care what y’all say.
— Foxx (@0nlyFoxx) November 29, 2017