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‘Mulan’ star Yifei Liu lived in Queens for four years, once owned 30 cats

Due to the coronavirus nobody gives a rat’s ass for China’s Wuhan, but now comes something good. Actress Yifei Liu. Born there. She beat out 1,000 other actresses to be “Mulan.” Disney’s fictional character based on legendary Chinese warrior Hua Mulan takes big-time kung fu fighting. This tough fortune cookie trained three months, seven hours …

Due to the coronavirus nobody gives a rat’s ass for China’s Wuhan, but now comes something good. Actress Yifei Liu. Born there. She beat out 1,000 other actresses to be “Mulan.”

Disney’s fictional character based on legendary Chinese warrior Hua Mulan takes big-time kung fu fighting. This tough fortune cookie trained three months, seven hours a day.

Director Niki Caro: “Yifei’s action is explosive. Our jaws dropped at her skill. An accomplished martial artist, she wields a sword, rides a horse and sings. She’s the complete package. The only one who could play Mulan.”

Liu: “It took great fortitude. I built up strength to play the character. How fast can I move? Have I energy for those action sequences? We shot on location with a cast of thousands. With the passion to learn more and more, I’m thankful for my trainers.”

Disney’s gambling big on Asian-Action-Adventure. This premieres Friday on something called Disney+. The plus is $29.99 and you need to subscribe for another seven bucks a month. Translation: You have to have a yen — a big wad of yen — for this one.

And Liu, 33, knows New York. She lived in Queens from 10 to 14. She also had 30 cats.

This ‘n’ that

Betty Crocker hunting four for an ad. Parents, $1,500; kids 3-12, $750; female friend 25-45. Open to diversity … Bucks County Playhouse. Marsha Mason read Jerome Kilty’s play “Dear Liar” about George Bernard Shaw and Mrs. Patrick Campbell’s love letters … NYC construction company Evergreen owner Barbara Kavovit designing new YWCA headquarters. Julia Morgan designed most of the early ones, early 1900s … Another mouth opened to be our mayor. Peter Guimaraes. Democrat. Co-owns Bice restaurant, moonlights on “Real Housewives” and tells me: “I’m a force to be reckoned with.” OK. I only vouch for his ravioli.

‘Power’-ing up the movies

For coming holiday weekend a happy touch is pill-popping movie “Project Power.” Jamie Foxx, playing an ex-soldier: “I’m an emotional dude. Things hit me right in my tear box.” Co-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt hasn’t acted in a while. “I took some years off. Became a dad. Spent time with my baby.” He plays a narcotics detective hunting the baddies in New Orleans.

Playing a teen is Dominique Fishback: “You don’t usually see African-American girls being the ones helping or saved. Mine’s a breakout role.”

Jamie: “The drug ‘Power’ has this supernatural power quality. It’s on the street. But I bought a popcorn popper just like ones in movie theaters. I turn the lights down low, get my popcorn, walk in late — and enjoy the film. You should do the same … But if you’re out enjoying, wear protection.”

“Project Power” is projecting now, on Netflix.

Labor lost

This coming Labor Day think good thoughts about our planet. Our oceans are clogged with plastic and trash. Fish dying. Animals disappearing. Elephants, monkeys, polar bears thinning. Greenhouse gases poisoning the atmosphere. People starving. Chemicals choking the air. Ozone polluting. Trees decaying. Humans destroying one another. Glaciers melting. Wars hovering. Diseases killing. Floods, earthquakes, fires, tsunamis, hurricanes. Broadway gone. Restaurants kaput. Galas, parties, get-togethers, openings, red carpets, screenings, theaters, concerts, premieres, street food sellers gone.

Soon no more Earth. Nothing around for us to hate.

Lucky we have Mars. There’s someplace still left for the weekend.


I’m off for a few days. Back in the paper Wednesday, when it will be only in New York, kids, only in New York.

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