Ming-Na Wen, the voice of 1998’s ‘Mulan,’ narrates a new documentary about 2D animation, ‘Pencils vs Pixels.'.Photo:Charley Gallay/Getty; Strike back studios
Charley Gallay/Getty; Strike back studios
Ming-Na Wen’s love affair with animation is lifelong.
“It was something that made me feel happy,” the actress, 59, tells PEOPLE. “It was great escapism, and I loved the art form. I loved everything about it.”
After a childhood brimming with comic strips and cartoons (“Bugs Bunny was my hero”), the self-proclaimed “nerd” landed her “dream-come-true” voice-acting gig:Mulan’s titular role.
The 1998 film spring-boarded Wen’s acting career while also marking the beginning of the end of the 2D, hand-drawn animation style once synonymous with Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Now, 25 years afterMulanwas released, Wen returns to her roots to narratePencils vs Pixels, a documentary that details the transition from the Disney Renaissance (1989-1999) to the CGI revolution that followed.
For Wen, joining the project, a love letter to 2D animation, was a no-brainer.
“I’m a lover of documentaries,” she says, adding that she is also friends with animators Tony and Tom Bancroft, who both participated in the doc. (Tony co-directedMulanand Tom designed the heroine’s iconic,Eddie Murphy–voiced sidekick, Mushu.)
“When [Tom] asked me to do this to celebrate 2D animation and the evolution of how it seemed like it was going to be death for 2D animation when CGI came … it was all very exciting,” she says. “I was more than happy to help.”
While Wen acknowledges the undeniable magic of hand-drawn animation, she also prides herself on being a “pioneering part of CGI” throughMulanand 2001’sFinal Fantasy: The Spirits Within.
One ofMulan’s most iconic scenes — when the Hun Army attacks on horseback — was actually Wen’s “introduction to CGI,” she tells PEOPLE.
Ming-Na Wen at the 1998 premiere of ‘Mulan,’ her first big voice-acting gig.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty
“Every horse, every Hun was different. Their expressions were different. And that just blew my mind,” Wen recalls. “I was very much immersed in it, and I’m a total nerd. I love all that technology and stuff.”
But, hand-drawn or computer-generated, Wen says it is not the tech used to create a film that makes it stand out; it’s the story.
“There is a new evolution, revolution of 2D and CGI melding together. And that’s going to create a lot of wonderful visuals but ultimately, the story has to be there,” Wen says, adding that a good plot can make even “stick drawings” meaningful.
Ming-Na Wen received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May 2023.Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images
Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images
When asked what aspects of the honorary Disney princess still resonate with her, the actress says, “Everything.”
“Everything about what she stands for, which is just following your heart,” she adds. “And because the love she had for her family and for her dad drove her to face her fears and do something that she normally wouldn’t have done.”
Wen — who has sinceportrayed myriad iconic charactersand received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — is thankful the career-launching role has had such a “wonderful positive impact.”
“She’s just a special character,” she says. “I really, really think that it’s a very special little, what should I say? Little hallmark in my life, in my career.”
strike back studios
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Pencils vs Pixelsis now available to purchase on digital.
source: people.com
