Disney found itself unwittingly catapulted center stage in the highly charged political fray as the hashtag #BoycottMulan started to gain momentum on social media after its Mulan leading lady Crystal Liu Yifei took to her social media in support of Hong Kong police force’s crackdown on protests.
Reposting an image originally shared by state backed publication People’s Daily, the post shared by the actress had the phrase “I support Hong Kong police force, you can beat me up now” written in Chinese followed by a subtext in English which says “What a shame for Hong Kong”. Her statement garnered different reactions from the public, on the one hand gaining more than 65K likes on Weibo from supporters while at the same time birthing the boycott Mulan campaign from anti-government protesters on Twitter and Instagram.
“Do I want my kids to watch the Disney movie and look up the actress Crystal Liu Yifei to find out that she supports the Hong Kong police brutality and violence? What a shame for Disney” says one commenter; while another says as an American citizen, she is “enjoying freedom and democracy in the US while suppressing Hong Kong people who are fighting for freedom and democracy..” – a sentiment echoed in several posts with the hashtag. The Mulan actress is actually not the only C-Ent celebrity to share the People’s Daily post on her social media which has a 65.6 million following. The post has actually been shared by various other Chinese celebrities in similar social media posts, but Crystal Liu starring in Mulan probably got the most heat since she is headlining a big Hollywood production.
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Anonymous
It more of a propaganda for the Chinese government tho. But all the other Chinese celebrities are doing. So why is she getting flack for it?? Shouldn't the other Chinese celebrities get flack for it too?!
notjunnior
Trust me, they are, specially kpop idols
I wish people wouldn't do this tho because these celebs are under a dictatorship, so it's hard to tell who's genuinely supporting, who just want to preserve their career and who's genuinely scared and threaded
Anonymous
She is a U.S. citizen, even if she is a Mainland celebrity, she still benefits from the freedoms of democracy.Something Hong Kong is fighting to have. So it's very hypocritical for her to have those freedoms, and then be in support of oppression. That's why she's being criticized. Of course Chinese citizen celebrities will support China, just look at all the celebs recently who cut ties with brands.
Anonymous
These Chinese stars who blindly support their government even to the point of supporting violence better limit their jobs in their homeland and never try to enter world showbiz. Violence and support to that is never an option in this world.
Anonymous
I'm just curious: since these Chinese celebrities support their "dictatorial" government, why are you "freedom fighters" coming to this blog about mainland entertainment for? Shoudn't you just boycott it?
Anonymous
Yeah, right? Such hypocrisy. Also, does anyone know why that phrase came to be? Two mainlander were tortured on live stream by "protesters" in the name of democracy. The one that was hospitalized said those words before he was bind and pounded on. I absolutely support the police too. Am I now a communist?
Anonymous
There's a lot of ethnic tension barely under the surface that either not picked up by Western journalists or willfully ignored. With the amount of discrimination faced by Mandarin-speaking mainlanders in Hong Kong and the recent assaults on two mainlanders in the airport, it's natural for any mainlander to support 'law and order' there. Why is it so hard to understand that different people may see the same event from different perspectives?
quantum
Lmao, only talking about Police brutality, you westerners are such blind parrots. Your western media doesn't show "peaceful protesters" using bricks with slingshots, competition grade bows and steel tipped arrows, knives and motovo cocktails against police and their family residences. So far two police officers have been injured by fire bombs plus a couple more with steel rods. Police children details have been leaked and bullied at school and day care.
Just this week, "peaceful protesters" held thousands of international travellers at airport hostage, tied up two mainland travelller and a mainland journalist for being Chinese, one of them was beaten up unconcious and the other was choked held into a coma.
Hell yeah, I support the HK police to bring these criminals to justice. You hypocritical westerners, if HK rioters were doing half of what they did in Western countries, they would have been shot.
Look up how many died in Ferguson riots and Yellow vest protests in France. HK police has killed NO ONE. NONE. Not one casualty.
Don't comment on things you have no idea about.
Anonymous
The "peaceful" protesters beating up a mainlander: https://twitter.com/D8China/status/1161290904994484225
blocking commute: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-49161816
and a whole list of other not-so-peaceful actions that had it happen in America they would've long been thrown in jail:
-Throwing a Chinese flag into the sea
-Breaking in and vandalizing government buildings
-Occupying an international airport preventing passengers from getting to their flight
-Possessing molotov cocktail and knives
The protesters are hardly peaceful with how aggressive they're trying to push their agenda, and the only reason why a lot of mainland entertainers and businesses are speaking up is most likely because they are FED UP with other countries butting in and fueling the flame on a DOMESTIC issue.
Anonymous
WOW she should've just stayed silent about this matter. China, HK, Taiwan, etc. all work together a lot in the filming arts industry. Voicing what you support will please one side but offend the others.
HK and China were able to live with their own systems like this for a long time, if China don't go force HK, there wouldn't be any protester and death. While protesters are not peaceful, what their goal is for democracy. Although I love this actress very much I got to agree she is wrong here, because she is a citizen in a democratic country and not mindful of the HK people wanting democracy.
Anonymous
A group of protestors don't represent all the protestors.
Lots of Chinese citizen in the US say the same like Liu Yifei too, when it comes to their home country this is how they feel.
And the communist are such great liars I wouldn't even be surprised if they purposely sent their mainlanders over for torture and cover up all the truth to make it look like they're innocently hurt. People only know how to research, if you can alter the truth in the news that's what people will believe.
Anonymous
The fact that posts like these are pretty much required if you work in China doesnt excuse it to me. That post is disgusting. But celebs care more about making more millions than strangers being beaten to death for fighting for their rights and democracy.
HaLa Mounirs
entertainment has nothing to with the politics of the government. it's understandable that no matter what celebrities choose they will get criticized that's why they shouldn't chose any side in my opinion. Unfortunately government in most countries that has directorship plays with the media and use it as how they want. that's how they try to control the public or that's how they think
I am not sure if these celebrities r pressured or not because i have found some hong kong actors against china policy so yeah it's disappointing if the celebrities r doing this for just the money
as i said entertainment and drama itself has nothing to do with politics so no i am not hypocrite just because i don't like what china government r doing it doesn't mean i don't enjoy their artistic novels, drama and movies. You have to separate the two things aside. any country government politics and policy doesn't represent it's people
Anonymous
Yes. She should not have voiced her opinion in this matter because she is also a US citizen. It's a very sticky/sensitive postion that she is in. It's only hurting her & her projects. Disney probably will never work with her again.
Anonymous
"…making more millions…" But it looks like she's going to make Disney lose that million and I wonder if they will be angry enough and charge her. I'm soooooo disappointed, this girl is so phenomenally beautiful and talented in every way. Why did she do this? She should've stay silent or, at least make it sound less rude to the democratic seekers.
Usi
How big is the chance that this boycott will have any effect? Most Western people will watch it anyway because it is Disney and they are curious how it will work without music and the dragon. And most Mainland Chinese will watch it to support her if it truly affects her. Who has more people?
Anonymous
But since mainland Chinese are supporting her cause of this, I don't think they'll lose money, since china's population is more than Western countries. Such that the Chinese film market will make more than of America. And that money will still go to Disney at the end of the day.
Anonymous
But she also works in China too, and she still have some movies and dramas that have finished filming. If she doesn't do those, then the likelihood of dramas and film being aired is very low. Money speaks more.
Lou
I don't know why you're bringing up the yellow vests protests in your comment implying that "many died" because of the police, but allow me to correct you on that one : 11 people died since the beginning of the process but out of them only one death was linked to the police : a civilian who died of a cardiac arrest in the hospital after receiving a tear gas canister on her face while she was closing her window (and I still wonder how that shit happened…). As for the others, almost all of their death were due to car accidents (either caused by civilians or some yellow vests) and just 2 others died of cardiac arrests while they were protesting (nothing linking the police or fights between protesters, just because of their physical health). So please, don't talk about things you don't know and HK protests and YV's can't be compared… French police is definitly not an example but don't vilify them and accuse them of killing people just like that thanks.
Anonymous
it's good to know finally the silent no longer silence. many hongkong citizens pro china, anti rioters also hold a rally. rioters saying as if they're being hit, actually many policemen wounded by them. those rioters thought got backups media and financially from rival countries and from those 'selling country' people. rival countries watching chinese vs chinese, those rioters are truly heartless, brainless.
Anonymous
celebrities need to keep their mouth shut! They are getting so much money from consumers of all different persuasions. If Crystal Liu supports police brutality then she should give up US citizenship AND delete her American name— so hypocritical!