The live-action remake of Mulan is probably one of the most anticipated Disney movies in 2020.

Disney has since dropped three movie trailers and a few featurettes, building up to the premiere of Mulan on March 27, 2020.

The director, Niki Caro and main cast, including Liu Yifei, the actress who stars as Mulan, have also given a few interviews recently to share more behind-the-scenes details.

Why Liu Yifei was chosen as Mulan?

In her interviews with The Hollywood Reporter and FilmsNow, Caro explained why Liu was chosen as the lead actress.

Caro said that Liu was willing to travel from Beijing, China to Los Angeles, U.S. for the audition.

"The jetlag between Beijing and LA is the worst jetlag in the world. It's a 14-hour flight."

Despite the jetlag and a sleepless night, Liu's performance at the two-hour intense audition was "so good".

The audition required Liu to do five scenes, including a five-page dialogue scene. Liu was able to pull it off even though English is not her first language.

The defining moment for Liu was during her physical training afterwards, when Caro knew that she "was a genuine warrior" after doing 90 minutes of weights without complaint.

"Not just because she's a brilliant actress, a smart, strong, kind human, but also she never complained once."

Caro is also particularly impressed by how Liu maintained her grace while wielding the sword.

You can preview the stunts here and understand better what it takes for Liu to become Mulan:

Top photo collage: screenshot via The Hollywood Reporter and image via Disney's Facebook