Boycott ‘Mulan’? Here’s why some people don’t want you to watch new Disney movie
Since it was first announced, fans of the Disney movie “Mulan” have been anxiously waiting for the Friday release of the live-action film. However, there are more than a few who won’t be watching.
Pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong, Korea, and Thailand have renewed their calls to boycott the film, which was released on Disney Plus and available to watch for $30, due to outrage over the movie’s lead, actress Liu Yifei, expressing support for Hong Kong police, multiple news outlets including CNN reported.
“I support the Hong Kong police,” Yifei wrote on Weibo in August 2019, per CNN. “You can all attack me now. What a shame for Hong Kong.”
Yifei posted the controversial comment during the “height of the protests in Hong Kong,” CNN said. What began as peaceful protests turned into clashes between protesters and police who used excessive force according to anti-government demonstrators.
“This film was released today,” tweeted Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong. “But because Disney kowtows to Beijing, and because Liu Yifei openly and proudly endorses police brutality in Hong Kong, I urge everyone who believes in human rights to #BoycottMulan.”
This film is released today. But because Disney kowtows to Beijing, and because Liu Yifei openly and proudly endorses police brutality in Hong Kong, I urge everyone who believes in human rights to #BoycottMulan. https://t.co/utmP1tIWNa
— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 (@joshuawongcf) September 4, 2020
During an interview with USA Today, the actress touched on the controversy swimming around her name. Liu said that she was “naive” to enter the debate and won’t engage in political discussion as an actress.
“It’s obviously very frustrating and obviously this is a very complicated question,” she says, according to USA Today. “I’m not a political expert, I’m an artist, so I just hoped this gets resolved soon.”
Twitter had mixed reactions to the renewed boycott ranging from those who supported the boycott to those who had been waiting for the release of a childhood favorite.
Mulan has always been about heroism, bravery, and sacrifice; and we already have countless stories like that in the real world. You don't need a fictional film that its actor didn't stand up for anything but police brutality. #BoycottMulan #MilkTeaAlliance https://t.co/waiINFFT8Y
— beη️ (@benwonx) September 4, 2020
Mulan is a symbol of empowerment of women, but Yifei is a symbol of police brutality supporter #BoycottMulan
— กระดูกไก่ไม่ใช่กระดูกคน (@nonameformekkk) September 3, 2020
This actress is who support #hongkongpolicebrutality , it is totally oppose the spirit of Mulan. Although I like Disney production, this actress should not be act as the character and I sure that I will #BoycottMulan
— PennyCheung (@PennyCheung11) September 3, 2020
If you support Hong Kong’s and Thailand’s movements, or #BlackLivesMatter, don’t watch Mulan. The actor has publicly sided w/ HK police. And it’s basically a story about conforming to a militarized patriarchal Chinese state anyway. Just don’t watch it. #BoycottMulan
— wen liu (@wenliunyc) September 4, 2020
I hear you on this, however I do want to remind everyone that there are hundreds (if not thousands) of others who worked on this film production. She is "the face" of the movie but not the only person impacted by a boycott.
— Sybil Wrights Ferral (@DimSumPlz) September 4, 2020
anyway. #BoycottMulan pic.twitter.com/6wI8sGHnKb
— 盾子 (@olympusjunko_) September 2, 2020
Please read #BoycottMulan pic.twitter.com/PciR8MFj0B
— มิซซิสสร (@bewiinx) September 3, 2020
The original animated film released in 1998 revolves around Mulan, the only child and daughter of an honored family, who goes to fight in place of her father when the Huns invade China, according to IMDb.
While the movie and the live-action remake is a story about women empowerment, some fans of the animated version huffed at the remake’s exclusion of a handful of beloved characters in the original, including Mushu, a little dragon who serves as the cartoon’s deuteragonist.
