The internet is alive right now with dedicated Mulan fans calling on Disney to not screw up the casting of the title character in their recently-announced live action remake. Specifically, to not make her white.
No casting details have been released yet, but with Hollywood's bleak history of whitewashing Asian and minority roles (we're looking at you, Dragonball Z), fans feel they can't be too careful. The film's announcement was immediately met with worry of a blonde bombshell or similarly unsuitable Mulan. In fact, there's already a petition online that's boasting a mean 40,000 signatures.
We're still trying to forget the soul-crushing disappointment of "Dragonball: Evolution" and "The Last Airbender"
"The scariest thing about whitewashing is how easy it is to ignore if it isn't overtly affecting you - despite how far-reaching the effects really are, especially in media and entertainment aimed at children," said Natalie Molnar, a children's librarian and author of the petition. "For the audience, whitewashing implies that people of color cannot be heroes (although they may at times be villains or supporting characters), leaving it far more difficult for countless children around the word to see themselves in the stories they love and think they, too, can make a difference."
This argument rings especially true with the iconic character of Hua Mulan, who has always been one of Disney's greatest successes as both a minority character and a female protagonist. Mulan is a hero who is as capable as she is relatable, and a generation of children has grown up with her as a role model. There have been some big steps recently in casting minority roles - such as the warm critical reception of Eddie Wong's Fresh Off the Boat sitcom - and as a Hollywood powerhouse, Disney has a chance to make a lasting impact.
Constance Wu, female lead from the breakout TV series "Fresh Off the Boat", is being tossed around by fans as a potential Mulan
Among fans, there's a lot of heated discussion as to who should get the part. A big contender for Chinese netizens is Lucy Liu, who fulfills the four top requirements among WeChat users of acting ability, English proficiency, popularity, and 'Phoenix Eyes' (referring to lean, piercing eyes that can 'kill at a glance').
Other notable candidates include Constance Wu, Fan Bingbing, Li Bingbing, Tang Wei, Ni Ni, and Zhang Ziyi. There's also a Twitter campaign for Mulan's original voice actress Wen Ming Na to reprise her role, and BuzzFeed even put together an all-star dream cast list for the film. There is a pretty strong communal voice, though, for Eddie Murphy's memorable performance as Mushu the dragon to remain consistent.
Until Disney announces its decision, all we can do is sign petitions and wait with bated breath to see if Hollywood comes through for us this time or makes another heartbreaking casting blunder. Molnar said it best: "Mulan's a girl worth fighting for - and we need to make sure Disney knows it."
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