Skip to main content
Tags: mulan | disney | liu yifei

'Mulan': Chinese Actress Liu Yifei Cast in Disney's Live-Action Remake

'Mulan': Chinese Actress Liu Yifei Cast in Disney's Live-Action Remake

Actress Liu Yifei arrives at the red carpet of the seventh Beijing International Film Festival on April 16, 2017, in Beijing, China. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

Wednesday, 29 November 2017 05:21 PM EST

Walt Disney Studios has cast Chinese actress Liu Yifei as the star of its upcoming live-action “Mulan,” scheduled for release sometime in 2019.

The film will be directed by Niki Caro (“The Zookeeper’s Wife”), according to USA Today.

The studio wanted an ethnically Chinese woman for the part and took a year to look at nearly 1,000 candidates for the role, which requires martial arts skills and the ability to speak English.

Lui has acted in several movies that have played in the U.S., most notably “The Forbidden Kingdom” with Jackie Chan and Jet Li in 2008, and “Outcast” with Nicholas Cage and Hayden Christensen in 2014, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which broke the news.

Liu has also starred in many Chinese films and TV shows, including “The Chinese Widow” and “Once Upon a Time.”

She won a Golden Lotus Award for Best Actress at the Macau International Movie Festival in 2013 for her performance in “The Assassins.”

She has been a brand ambassador for Dior, Tissot, Garnier, and Pantene, THR reported.

Her fans and the Chinese media have nicknamed her the “Fairy Sister” because of her innocence and pure beauty.

The live-action movie will be inspired by the 1998 animated “Mulan” and the original legendary Chinese ballad, NBC News reported. In both, Hua Mulan is a young Chinese woman who dresses as a man and takes her father’s place in the Chinese army during the fifth century.

Most on Twitter praised the choice and thought it was perfect.

© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


TheWire
Actress Liu Yifei has landed the titular role of the upcoming live-action “Mulan.” Walt Disney Studios wanted an ethnically Chinese woman for the part and took a year to look at nearly 1,000 candidates for the role, which requires martial arts skills and the ability to speak English.
mulan, disney, liu yifei
389
2017-21-29
Wednesday, 29 November 2017 05:21 PM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmax’s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 

Interest-Based Advertising | Do not sell or share my personal information

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© 2025 Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Download the Newsmax App
NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© 2025 Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved