Original Mulan Actress Says Disney’s Live-Action Film Must Do One Thing

Disney‘s live-action division will only gain more momentum thanks to the box office numbers that Beauty and the Beast is bringing in. Disney recognizes that, and fittingly has several projects in development, including a live-action take on their popular film Mulan. There’s been much discussion about how the film will incorporate music, but the actress who brought Mulan to life has one other piece of advice for the project.

Actress Ming-Na Wen voiced the character in the Disney original, and actually still portrays the character in a variety of projects, including Sophia the First. That is when she’s not playing Agent May on Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD. ET recently caught up with the actress to talk about the live-action Mulan and if it had her blessing.

“Wow! I wish I could say that it needs it,” Wen said with a smile. “But I’m very excited that they want to do a live-action because they’ve done so amazingly with all of the movies — from Maleficent, to Beauty and the Beast, to Cinderella. I’m really looking forward to the live-action.” She did add one thing she is “hoping for”. “I would love to have a part in it in some way,” she said. “We’ll see — knock on wood!’

The good news is she is already having “conversations” with the studio about some sort of involvement. “I know the fans really want it and love it. And some of them even go, ‘Well, why don’t you just play Mulan?’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah if it’s Mulan: The Later Years.” There is one thing she does feel is a necessity for Mulan, saying “That she’s Chinese in her heritage. Even though we’re Pan-Asian, it is specifically a Chinese folklore and I really think that someone with that ethnic background [would] really just add more to the story.”

The subject of diversity has been a popular one in Hollywood over the last few years, and Disney has already come out and said they are aiming to do right by projects like Aladdin in that department. Mulan should get similar treatment.

Disney’s most recent live-action film is still in theaters, and you can view the synopsis below.

Beauty and the Beast is the fantastic journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realize the kind heart and soul of the true Prince within.

Beauty and the Beast stars Emma Watson as Belle; Dan Stevens as the Beast; Luke Evans as Gaston, the handsome, but shallow villager who woos Belle; Oscar winner Kevin Kline as Maurice, Belles eccentric, but lovable father; Josh Gad as Lefou, Gaston’s long-suffering aide-de-camp; Golden Globe nominee Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, the candelabra; Oscar nominee Stanley Tucci as Maestro Cadenza, the harpsichord; Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Plumette, the feather duster; six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald as Madame Garderobe, the wardrobe; Oscar nominee Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, the mantel clock; and two-time Academy Award winner Emma Thompson as the teapot, Mrs. Potts.

Beauty and the Beast is in theaters now, while Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge lands on May 26, 2017. Cars 3 is next up, racing into theaters on July 14, 2017, with Pixar’s Coco hitting on November 22nd, 2017. Disney’s live action Cruella currently has no release date, and neither does Maleficent 2, The Jungle Book sequel, or the live-action Aladdin. Toy Story 4 hits on July 13, 2018, and the live-action Mulan is scheduled for November 2nd, 2018. Mary Poppins Returns lands shortly thereafter on December 25, 2018.

MORE: Aladdin Live-Action Producer Says Project Will Embrace Diversity / Game Of Thrones Director To Helm Live-Action Aladdin / Ang Lee Passed On Live-Action Mulan