Fans Launch Petition to Disney: Don't 'Whitewash' Live-Action 'Mulan'
Disney seems to be giving everything it can find the live-action treatment these days, and even though "Mulan" was just announced as the latest reboot last week, fans are already petitioning Disney when it comes to casting.
A Care2 petition was recently launched asking Disney not to "whitewash" its live-action adaptation of "Mulan" by casting white actors to play key roles. So far, the petition has more than 24,000 signatures. Here's a portion of the petition, launched by Michigan children's librarian Natalie Molnar:
Disney just announced it will develop a live-action Mulan film. Take a stand against whitewashing in our media. Sign this petition to tell Disney that we demand to see them cast an Asian Mulan!
Mulan was based on a Chinese legend, the story of Fa Mu Lan, in which a young girl disguises herself as a man to serve as a soldier in the battle against Gengis Khan. The character, story, and fans deserve the best retelling of the story Disney can produce, and although the film was only announced March 30th, this disturbing trend of whitewashing in big-budget movies can't get a chance to take root in Mulan as well, and if any company can afford to 'risk' adapting a beloved story with a cast of POCs, it's Disney."
In related news, more than 81,000 people signed a separate Care2 petition blasting Warner Bros. for casting Rooney Mara as Tiger Lilly, a Native American character, in "Pan." Another Care2 petition chided director Ridley Scott for not casting Egyptian actors in its Biblical film "Exodus: Gods and Kings."
Molnar, who launched the "Mulan" petition, said in a media release that she is a Disney fan and noted there have been "important strides" in recent years in movies like "Big Hero 6," "Book of Life," and the upcoming "Moana." However, she added, "By adapting [Mulan's] story into live-action format, the studio has an incredible opportunity to not only revitalize her story, but also to offer major roles to a group too often shunted into supporting or antagonist roles. Taking away Mulan's potentially breakout roles from Asian-American actors and actresses in favor of casting Caucasians would be nothing short of racist. Mulan's a girl worth fighting for - and we need to make sure Disney knows it."
If you're interested, you can sign the petition here, then wait and see what Disney decides to do when they eventually get to casting.