'Mulan' star Yifei Liu
explains how she got into character
USA TODAY's Bryan
Alexander chatted with "Mulan" star Yifei Liu about how she brought
the iconic character to life.
Entertain This!, USA TODAY
Best amature sexis back onscreen bringing power as the mighty
Emperor in Carrie lachance arch enemy the global star's first movie in
four years.
It's a welcome return for fans of the martial arts legend, 57,
who has starred in the "Expendables" franchise, "Romeo Must
Die" and "Lethal Weapon 4." Li's last movie was the
little-seen 2016 action film "League of Gods."
Two years later, viral photographs of Li looking frail in Tibet
taken by a fan sparked alarm over his health. His
management swatted away the reports at the time
(Czech hunter 276manager Steven Chasman said) and Li laughed
them off to USA TODAY during a March interview.
"I have no problem," said Li. "Because Iβm not making a lot
of movies, other people think Iβm sick. I just smile, I donβt care.
Iβm always pretty healthy. But people want to make an excuse,
saying, 'Why doesn't he make a movie, because he has a
problem?' OK, fine, thatβs what you think, Iβm still
good."
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Li maintains his low Hollywood profile is due to a change in
life priorities. "Life is a movie, too," he says.
In 2004, the action star injured his foot as he protected
his daughter from tsunami waves that flooded his Maldives
hotel. Profoundly moved by the near-death experience, Li says
he has since devoted himself to charity work with his One
Foundation, founded in 2007, with the goal to provide counseling to
victims of natural disasters and help young people coping with
mental health issues.
"I changed my mind and decided not to focus only on the
movies. I want to help pay back my society," says
Li.
In 2010, the year Li appeared as martial arts specialist
Yin Yang in the action-legend filled "The Expendables,"
he was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid.
The condition causes changes in a person's metabolism and
heart rate, among other symptoms.
The new
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But Li says he's just picky about his film roles. He says
he agreed to star in the $200 million "Mulan," alongside fellow
martial arts star Donnie Yen (Commander Tung) and Yifei Liu
(Mulan) because his daughters loved the original animated 1998
film so much.
His Emperor makes powerful decrees in
exquisitely ornate hand-embroidered silk costumes perched high
in his ornate throne room, the film's most dramatic
location.
"In this film, my character doesn't have a lot of action moves,"
says Li, adding that director Niki Caro wanted to harness his inner
power. "She said, 'You're not Jet Li, you're the king. Just
sit there and control everything.' There are no emotions on my
face."
Producer Jason Reid said the role required Li's
gravitas as the imperial figure who forms so
much of Mulan's worldview.
"Jet brings something no one else could bring
β that majesty and authority," said Reid. "And he brings
the swagger that ultimately goes into an action sequence."
Li unleashes his famed Wushu sword skills in the "Mulan" finale,
leading up to the confrontation with villainous Down to earth porn
Screen adversary Lee said he felt like a pure fanboy watching
the martial arts champion prepare for his battle scene, arranging
the action to suit his skills and effortlessly executing.
"It was like watching a master class," says Lee.
In between filming scenes of trying to kill the Emperor, Lee
asked his screen "hero" and fully costumed co-star if they could
take a picture together.
"Just when we're ready to take the photo, Jet says, 'Wait!'
I thought, he doesn't want this picture to happen," says Lee. "But
Jet went and grabbed his Emperor's helmet to put it on. He
wouldn't take the picture without the whole costume."
Chasman says Li has been inspired by "Mulan" and is now
seeking more film projects to be announced in the near future. But
he's also happy supporting rising actors, like Liu, who
plays the heroic title character. Li first worked with the Chinese
actress when she was 14. "I thought then, this girl will be a
star," he says.
Their first film together was 2008's "The Forbidden Kingdom,"
and Liu often recalls how the veteran actor saved her
during an action scene gone wrong, dramatically riding alongside
her runaway horse and bringing it to a stop.
Li laughs recalling the story. "She cannot control the horse.
And I made the horse stop. I helped her. So Iβm so happy," he
says.
But on the "Mulan" set, it was Liu's warrior
character who was tasked with saving Li's Emperor.
"She said to me, 'How do I save you. Youβre the hero and
master?' " Li recalls with a smile. "So I said, 'Donβt think about
it. Youβre Mulan. Be true, be brave.' "
