Liu Yifei, who's also known as Crystal Liu, has been cast as Mulan for Disney's live adaptation of the cartoon film, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Yifei is a 30-year-old Chinese actress who's one of the country's most popular; she's been nicknamed "Fairy Sister" by the public there for her pure image, the outlet notes. Yifei has done several English films as well: The Forbidden Kingdom (2008), Outcast (2014—alongside Nicolas Cage), and The Chinese Widow (alongside Emile Hirsch) from this year, among them.
Casting directors, according to THR, saw nearly 1,000 candidates during its year-long search to find the woman who'd be best for the role that "requires credible martial arts skills, the ability to speak English and the most ineffable requirement of all: star quality."
The live action adaptation of Mulan will be directed by Niki Caro and is due out in 2019 tentatively.
Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she's not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.
