Disney’s ‘Mulan’ Is Being Boycotted After Star Liu Yifei Shows Support For Police

The highly anticipated release of Disney’s live-action “Mulan” movie has finally arrived, but it appears some fans are no longer interested in watching the film after learning the lead has shown support for the police amid social justice movements.

The drama started in August 2019 when “Mulan” star Liu Yifei showed her support for the police in Hong Kong. Her support came after protesters accused officers of using excessive force to thwart anti-government demonstrations, CNN reports.

“I support the Hong Kong police. You can all attack me now. What a shame for Hong Kong,” Yifei stated at the time on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform similar to Twitter.

Fans in Hong Kong then took to the platform to call for the boycott of “Mulan.” By Friday, over a year after the original call to boycott the film, #BoycottMulan was trending on Twitter in the U.S. as fans shared their disappointment in Yifei.

“As a Disney’s fan, I’m totally disappointed in Disney this time. How can you promote this woman who supports state brutality against the people. You can take any action, but you didn’t. So let the social sanction begin! #BoycottMulan #MilkTeaAlliance,” one individual wrote.

Another person added, “‘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.”

Meanwhile, one fan admitted that they have been eagerly awaiting the film’s release but will now skip the movie following Yifei’s statement.

“Mulan’s my favorite Disney princess and I’ve been waiting for this movie ever since they announced a live-action remake but considering the lead’s support for the police, we shouldn’t pay to see it. If I can resist the urge to do such, you can too. #BoycottMulan #MilkTeaAlliance,” the individual wrote.

Despite the backlash and calls for a boycott, CNN reports Yifei received support for her original Weibo post, writing, "nearly all the comments on her post echoed support for the Hong Kong police and Beijing."

“Mulan” was released on Disney+ Premier Access on Friday. Disney is charging subscribers $30 to view the film but will release a free version on the platform in December.