BEIJING, China (Reuters) — Disney’s pick of Chinese actress Liu Yifei to star in their upcoming live-action remake of “Mulan” was welcomed by residents in Beijing on Thursday (November 30).
Disney announced that Liu, a popular star of Chinese film and dramas, snapped the role early on Wednesday (November 29). She is fluent in English and has also appeared in several international co-productions such as “Outcast,” where she starred alongside Nicholas Cage.
While many were glad to see their compatriot make it in what is set to be a big Hollywood blockbuster, others were more ambivalent about seeing the legendary Chinese tale developed in a live-action movie.
“What Chinese believe are beautiful women, Westerners believe are just ordinary. But some people whom most Chinese think are ugly, Westerners think they’re very beautiful. So the aesthetics of beauty is different, and so the product of what they film will be different,” said resident Sun Po.
In recent years Hollywood has been accused by critics of “whitewashing” certain international productions by casting western actors in lead roles, but Disney, in its search to find the film’s star, was determined that the actress be young and be of Chinese decent, according to Variety.com.