Meet Liu Yifei: Your New Mulan, Pop Princess, And Noted Wuxia Star
Ever since the opening footage of Disney's dazzling live-action take on
Mulan debuted, fans have been head over heels for the star portraying the titular warrior.
Chinese-American actor
Liu Yifei has stepped into the boots of Hua Mulan to bring us a spectacular new look at one of the most influential characters from the ever-growing cadre of Disney princesses.
Who is this new face that Disney fans might not directly be familiar with? Aside from being a popular actress in China with an abundance of TV and film credits to her name, she is a talented individual — and pop star — who's bound for big things immediately after making her American feature film debut in
Mulan. Since she's about to light up theaters across the globe as one of the most popular Disney characters ever, it's high time we got to know her.
The Basics
Name: Liu Yifei (Crystal Liu, birth name An Feng)
Age: 31
Birthplace: Wuhan, Hubei
Liu Yifei is a Chinese-American actress who's been working in the entertainment industry since 2003, whenever she made her Chinese TV debut as Bai Xiuzhu in The Story of a Noble Family. From there on, she's appeared in a couple of films and television shows, several of which fall under the wuxia genre, or "martial heroes" sect of Chinese fiction. For Western attempts at effectively channeling the genre, think Crouching Tiger, Concealed Dragon, Hero, or House of Flying Daggers.
She's no stranger to action, drama, or romance, and has the acting skills to back up just about any role she's placed in. With her snagging the role of Mulan, she's only about to get even bigger on the international stage.
She's thought one of the most successful young actresses in China
"Four Dan actresses" is a Chinese phrase that refers to the most popular and lucrative young actresses from China in the early 2000s. The term "Dan" refers to a gentleman actor who portrayed a women character in a Peking opera, with "Four Dan" first brought to fruition in the 1920s to four Dan actors of the time. Used in a Guangzhou Day-to-day editorial in July 2000, the term stuck.
Beginning in 2005, actresses have been selected to define this hallowed title, with 2009's class including Huang Shengyi, Wang Luodan, Yang Mi, and certainly, Liu Yifei. Liu's success and recognition here can be traced back to The Return of the Condor Heroes, which she starred in alongside Yang Mi.
She beat out around 1,000 actors for the role of Mulan
How do you suggest an actor's uniquely qualified to play someone in a film? You go through an inordinate quantity of those to find the ideal match. According to
The Hollywood Reporter, Disney's search for the ideal Mulan they could possibly find brought them hopefuls from five different continents who could bring believable martial arts skills, fluent English language, and that certain pizazz to the table.
Liu happened to tick all of those boxes and some, mostly thanks to her wuxia genre experience and the fact that she lived in Queens, NY for a brief period of time. She ended up being chosen, and the rest is history.
Acting isn't her only strong suit
Though Liu is already blowing us away with the initial (painfully brief) glimpse of her as Mulan, it's essential to remember she's more than just a talented actor. She's also a recording artist who just so happens have the ability to bust a move — a real triple threat.
The 31-year-old performer has released two albums over the years, including the popular song "Mayonaka no Door," which ended up being used as one of the ending themes for the Powerpuff Females anime adaptation Demashita! Powerpuff Women Z. Immediately after signing with Sony Music Entertainment Japan in 2005, she went on to release her debut album Liu Yifei, which included the single and also a blend of genres, including rap, pop, and soft rock. So, had Mulan gone the musical adaptation route — it didn't — Liu would have been prepared.
Her performer name is "Fairy Sister"
Liu has been cast in a couple of television series, like the 2003 period romance The Story of a Noble Family, which drew essential acclaim and satisfied viewers. Following her success on that drama, she appeared because the character Wang Yuyan in the TV adaptation of Louis Cha's wuxia novel Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. Throughout its broadcast in Taiwan afterward becoming the highest-rated Chinese drama there), Liu earned a dedicated fanbase, who started referring to her as "Fairy Sister," or "shenxian jiejie."
With all that mentioned, you're probably eager to be able to see Fairy Sister come into her own as Hua Mulan, right? While there's still a little bit of a wait before we can visualize her blossom into the Disney heroine, hopefully this guide encourages you to check out some of her past work in the wuxia genre.
You'll have the ability to be able to see Liu come to life because the savior of China once the live-action
Mulan confidently gallops into theaters on March 27, 2020.
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