Arts & Entertainment
Fans slam Disney for erasing ‘bisexual’ character Shang from ‘Mulan’ remake
the main love interest will be replaced

Shang in ‘Mulan’ ( Screenshot via YouTube)
“Mulan” fans aren’t happy with a notable casting change in Disney’s live-action remake.
Li Shang is Ping’s (Mulan disguised as a male soldier) commander in the army. Shang eventually grows to admire and respect Ping before learning that it is Mulan and falling in love with her.
Many fans have long hailed Shang as a bisexual character for his admiration for Mulan when she is both disguised as a man and later revealed to be a woman. The iconic Disney song “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” also features Shang attempting to train Ping for the army. Disney has stated that the remake will include music but it’s unclear if it will be a musical like the 1998 original.
In a casting call report posted on Twitter, it was revealed that Shang was being replaced by an original character, Chen Honghui. The character is an army recruit described as “Full of himself, with a mean, bullying streak to him.” He views Mulan (as Ping) as his rival and only stops hating her when he discovers she’s a woman. Then, Honghui falls in love with her.
saddened to report it’s basically been confirmed that li shang will not be in the live-action mulan.
the mulan casting call has been confirmed to be accurate. donnie yen was cast as “commander tung,” who is in the description for “chen honghui.”
rest in peace bisexual icon. pic.twitter.com/7El8TDhJg5
— nerdy (@nerdyasians) April 16, 2018
Fans of the film slammed Disney for erasing Shang from the remake and making the new character only warm up to Mulan once its revealed she is a woman.
lrt cannot even begin to describe how uninterested i am in disney turning mulan into a story about a guy who only respects mulan as a soldier and a rival when he thinks she’s a man and suddenly sees her as fuckable when he finds out she’s a woman
— Sas Batcii ? melbnova#42 (@sasbatcii) April 17, 2018
disney when they realized they accidentally made li shang bisexual by having him fall in love with mulan while he thought she was a boy and that there’s nothing they can say now to deny it or change that fact pic.twitter.com/FZWIYqDY8v
— gabi (@harleivy) April 12, 2018
i’m disgusted. disney is obviously still mad they accidentally made li shang bisexual, so they’re REMOVING ANY POSSIBILITY that “chen” is seen as bisexual. they make it clear he HATES mulan the whole time she’s presenting male. he bullies her up until he finds out she’s a woman. https://t.co/vsj5B9uDGp
— princess mizzy ? (@hellomizzyy) April 16, 2018
so the new character relentlessly bullies mulan bc she’s better than him until he find out she’s a girl, hoah fence but i hate him and our bisexual king li shang would never https://t.co/D0d0Z82CRY
— andile (@INDIEWASHERE) April 17, 2018
when u wanna support the upcoming mulan remake bc disney cast a gorgeous, talented actress who’s actually chinese to play mulan but they’re also replacing bisexual icon li shang with a random misogynistic dude who’ll overshadow mulan’s journey & add 0 good elements to the story pic.twitter.com/N88ZKz5am8
— gabi (@harleivy) April 17, 2018
li shang was only harsh on mulan (ping) at the beginning because ping appeared to be trouble and hold the troop back, but as mulan proved herself worthy in wits and combat on the battlefield the Bisexual Legend Li Shang saw ping as his equal (and also fell in love)
— it is i, the binchiest bi, (@ejnoodles) April 17, 2018
wait, so it’s official now that the live action mulan won’t have bisexual icon li shang in it? i’m gonna throw some hands if they even think about switching this shit up to leave out the king. pic.twitter.com/Z9veWbJRH7
— trinnie ???????? (@mixielot) April 14, 2018
Liu Yifei will star as Mulan, Jet Li as emperor of China, Gong Li as a witch and Donnie Yen as Commander Tung.
“Mulan” hits theaters in March 2020.
Catfish Comedy will host “2026 Queer Kickoff Show” on Thursday, Feb. 5 at A League of Her Own (2319 18th Street, N.W.). This show features D.C.’s funniest LGBTQ and femme comedians. The lineup features performers who regularly take the stage at top clubs like DC Improv and Comedy Loft, with comics who tour nationally.
Tickets are $17.85 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Arts & Entertainment
Catherine O’Hara, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ star and celebrated queer ally, dies at 71
Actress remembered for memorable comedic roles in ‘Beetlejuice’ and ‘Home Alone’
Catherine O’Hara, the varied comedic actor known for memorable roles in “Beetlejuice,” “Schitt’s Creek,” and “Home Alone,” has died at 71 on Friday, according to multiple reports. No further details about her death were revealed.
O’Hara’s death comes as a shock to Hollywood, as the Emmy award-winning actor has been recently active, with roles in both “The Studio” and “The Last of Us.” For her work in those two shows, she received Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series and outstanding guest actress in a drama series.
In 2020, O’Hara won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a comedy series award for her work in the celebrated sixth and final season of “Schitt’s Creek.” She was also known as a queer ally and icon for her theatrical and often campy performances over multiple decades. In “Schitt’s Creek,” she played Moira Rose, the wig-loving mother of David Rose (played by series creator Dan Levy). David is pansexual, but the characters around him simply accept him for who he is; the show was embraced by the LGBTQ community with how naturally David’s sexuality was written and portrayed. That show ran from 2015 to 2020 and helped bring O’Hara and her co-stars into a new phase of their careers.
In a 2019 interview with the Gay Times, O’Hara explained why the show got LGBTQ representation right: “Daniel has created a world that he wants to live in, that I want to live in. It’s ridiculous that we live in a world where we don’t know how to respect each other and let each other be. It’s crazy. Other shows should follow suit and present the world and present humans as the best that we can be. It doesn’t mean you can’t laugh, that you can’t be funny in light ways and dark ways. It’s all still possible when you respect and love each other.”
Additional credits include “SCTV Network” (for which O’Hara won a writing Emmy), “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Six Feet Under,” “Best in Show,” “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” and “Dick Tracy.” O’Hara also lent her voice to “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Chicken Little,” “Monster House,” and “Elemental.” O’Hara was expected to return for Season 2 of “The Studio,” which started filming earlier this month.
Friday, January 30
Friday Tea Time will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Bring your beverage of choice. For more information, contact Mac ([email protected]).
Spark Social will host “RuPaul’s Drag Race S18 Watch Party” at 8 p.m. This event will be hosted by local drag queens TrevHER and Grey, who will provide hilarious commentary and make live predictions on who’s staying and who’s going home. Stick around after the show for a live drag performance. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, January 31
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Sunday, February 1
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community and Conversation” at noon at As You Are. This event is for those looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ+ community. Look for the Go Gay DC sign on the long table near the front window. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, February 2
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam (adamheller@thedccenter.org).
Tuesday, February 3
Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more information, email [email protected].
Wednesday, February 4
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share what they want future events to include. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Thursday, February 5
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
-
LGBTQ Non-Profit Organizations5 days agoTask Force urges renewed organizing amid growing political threats
-
Federal Government5 days agoTop Democrats reintroduce bill to investigate discrimination against LGBTQ military members
-
Virginia5 days agoFrom the Pentagon to politics, Bree Fram fighting for LGBTQ rights
-
National5 days agoGay men, ketamine, and trauma. A therapy or a trap?
