Ming-Na Wen Thinks Mulan Means A Lot To The Trans Community

Ming-Na Wen thinks Mulan can help "represent" the trans community.

The 56-year-old star — who voiced the title role in 1998 Disney animated classic and its 2004 sequel — has opened up about the cultural impact of a character forced "to dress up as a boy".

Speaking to SFX magazine, she said: "What Mulan means to me is how much it's impacted so many people.

"When I go to these conventions, I'm always astounded that as many fans there are for [Agents of] S.H.E.I.L.D., there are so many fans from Mulan.

"And also just by the mere fact that she had to dress up as a boy, it's also helped the trans community by having a Disney character, especially, represent them in some way."

Wen is immensely proud of the original movie and the way audiences react to the story itself, and she admitted it can be an emotional experience.

She added: "They'll be crying because it had that much of an impact in elevating their own self-confidence and their own self-worth.

"For me, that has been the biggest impact."

The upcoming live action adaptation of Mulan, starring Liu Yifei in the title role, was initially set to be released on March 27, but the coronavirus pandemic meant the movie's cinematic release had to be pushed back.

Mulan is slated to open in the US on July 24, and Singapore on July 23.

Photo: TPG News/Click Photos