In Disney’s 1998 animated film Mulan, who provides Mulan’s speaking voice?

Ming-Na Wen provides Mulan’s speaking voice in Disney’s 1998 animated film Mulan.

Wen’s performance supplies Mulan’s spoken dialogue, while the character’s singing voice is performed by Lea Salonga. This division between speaking and singing voices was also used for several other Disney heroines, allowing filmmakers to cast actors for different performance strengths.

Mulan was released in 1998 and follows Fa Mulan, who disguises herself as a man to take her injured father’s place in the Chinese army. The film became notable for placing a Chinese heroine at the center of a major Disney animated feature.

A common mix-up is identifying Salonga as Mulan’s complete voice performer. Salonga sings Mulan’s songs, including “Reflection,” but Wen voices the character in the film’s dialogue scenes. Wen later became widely known for television roles including Melinda May in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.