Disney has finally revealed the actress who's playing Mulan, its latest live action film set to be released in 2019—meet Chinese actress, model, and singer Liu Yifei.
Yifei's casting is a breath of relief from the whitewashing allegations that surround Hollywood films, with actors like Tilda Swinton (Doctor Strange) and Scarlett Johanson (Ghost in the Shell) being cast to play supposedly Asian characters. For Mulan, however, Disney didn't just choose a half-Asian actress but also a decorated Chinese actress. Here are three facts you need to know about the new Mulan:
1. Liu Yifei also goes by the name Crystal Liu.
Born as An Feng, Yifei also goes by the name Crystal Liu. And because of her ethereal, doll-like image in fantasy roles that she has done before, her fans call her Fairy Sister.
2. She speaks English fluently.
She has lived in New York during her early teenage years and had starred in movies with Jackie Chan and Jet Li in the 2008 film The Forbidden Kingdom, and with Nicolas Cage and Hayden Christensen in Outcast (2014).
3. She is extremely talented.
The 30-year-old actress is also a model. She endorses a number of brands including Dior, Tissot, Garnier, and Pantene, and she has also appeared numerous times in magazines.
She is also musically inclined, being formally trained as a pianist. Yifei has also launched a singing career back in 2005 after signing a recording contract with Sony Music Entertainment Japan.
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