The 1998 animated version of Disney's "Mulan" starred Asian American actress Ming-Ne Wen as the voice of the lead female character. The film is currently streaming on Netflix, but avid viewers noticed something odd about the show's description.
Missing from the cast list was Wen's name when she's supposed to be the main star of the movie. A fan posted the observation on Twitter, which Wen reposted on her account to call out the streaming platform.
The actress also took a swipe at Netflix for not putting her co-star B.D. Wong's name in the credits when he voiced Li Shang, the army captain who fell in love with Mulan in the Disney cartoons. Wen said that this was a major oversight that Netflix must correct.
The criticism comes just days after fans also called out Netflix for its description of Thanos as the "intergalactic sociopath" in its listing for "Avengers: Infinity War." Reports stated that the streaming platform immediately took action and changed the offensive details.
Meanwhile, Wen is not part of the live-action version of "Mulan," which will be in theaters in 2020. However, the actress thinks it's a good idea to keep the film's legacy alive with the new adaptation.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Wen said that Disney had done a great job with its live-action versions of "Cinderella" and "Beauty and the Beast." So, she knows that the studio will deliver the same quality for the "Mulan" live-action. She also said she's excited to see the film.
Disney has cast young Chinese film star Liu Yifei in the titular role. The movie will also feature a host of Asian actors like Jet Li (Emperor), Yoson An (Chen Honghui), Donnie Yen (Commander Tung), Gong Li (Xian Lang) and Jason Scott Lee (Bori Khan).
Filming for the "Mulan" live-action under director Niki Caro started last August 2018 in China and New Zealand. The movie will not be a straight-forward adaptation of the animated film because the musical numbers aren't going to figure heavily into the script. Disney has also not cast an actor to play Li Shang in this new version. Instead, Chen Hongui will become Mulan's ally and potential love interest.
Meanwhile, Wen was born in Macau in 1963, but she and her mother moved to Hong Kong when she was barely in school. When her mother remarried, Wen and the family were uprooted to the United States. She grew up in Pennsylvania and started her career on television as one of the child stars in "Mister Rogers Neighborhood" in the 1980s. The actress is also well-known for her movie "The Joy Luck Club" and the medical drama series "ER."
