The lead actor in Disney's live action Mulan supports Hong Kong police brutality

The argument

Proponents of the boycott point to the conduct of the film's star. Lead actress Liu Yifei reposted a viral pro-police comment on Chinese social media platform Weibo from the government-run Beijing newspaper People's Daily that read (in Chinese): "I also support Hong Kong police. You can beat me up now", adding in English: "What a shame for Hong Kong." On this argument the significance lies in the timing and the source. The message she amplified came from a government-run newspaper and concerned the conduct of the police towards protesters, which is precisely the matter in dispute. Her post flies in the face of the real grievances that Hong Kongers have with Beijing — grievances about policing and political control that the reposted comment treats as an occasion for mockery rather than as a subject of legitimate disagreement. That such support comes from the lead of a movie that was branded as Asian representation makes her words more harmful, in the view of those calling for the boycott. A film marketed on the strength of who it represents invites audiences to identify with its star, and those urging a boycott argue that this is what gives an individual post a weight it would not otherwise carry: the audience being asked to celebrate the representation includes the people the reposted comment was aimed at. Furthermore, Liu Yifei holds American citizenship, which has led to further backlash, with proponents of the boycott pointing out that she probably accesses liberal freedoms in the USA which are being deprived of people in Hong Kong. The charge is one of inconsistency — endorsing against others a treatment she is herself insulated from. For these reasons, supporters of the campaign hold that the lead actor in Disney's live action Mulan supports Hong Kong police brutality, and that people should #BoycottMulan.

Context

In 2019, anti-China protests following the proposed Extradition Bill caused fears of greater suppression and encroachment from mainland China. The authorities in Hong Kong were heavily criticised for handling the protests with brutality, hence it is a sore point for many that the lead actor of Mulan would show support for the police.

Premises

Counter-arguments

The situation in Hong Kong is politically charged and it follows that there will be individuals who align with one side over the other. Liu Yifei's support for Hong Kong police is not grounds for a boycott of the movie, given that the actress was expressing her personal views on her personal social media platforms. There is also a separation between artists and the art they produce. Mulan remains a potent film created by individuals external to her and other cast and crew who do not deserve to bear the brunt of the lead's personal views.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] The repost expressed support for the Hong Kong police force. The title converts that into support for police brutality, which is a different claim and not one the quoted words make — whether the two amount to the same thing is precisely what is in dispute between the positions. [Rejecting P2] Marketing a film as representation may raise the stakes of its star's politics, but it does not connect those politics to the film itself, and the counter-argument's objection is unaddressed: a boycott's cost falls on the hundreds of cast and crew who had no part in the post. [Rejecting P3] The citizenship premise argues about the speaker rather than the claim. Holding an American passport may make the position look inconsistent, but inconsistency in an advocate is not evidence about the merits, and what the conclusion needs is a reason to boycott the film, not a charge of hypocrisy against its lead.

Framing

The insensitivity of the post is reason enough to boycott the whole movie.