'Mulan' Star CoCo Lee Has Died by Suicide at 48

Her sisters shared the devastating news.

Singer Coco Lee receives interview during rehearsal for 2018 Double 11 Global Shopping Festival on November 10, 2018 in Shanghai, China.
(Image credit: Photo by VCG / Getty)

CoCo Lee has died by suicide at age 48.

CoCo was a Hong Kong-born singer and actress who was known for voicing Mulan in the Mandarin version of the 1998 Disney film, as well as her contribution to the soundtrack of the 2020 live-action remake of Mulan.

She also sang "A Love Before Time" on the soundtrack for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, for which she was nominated for a Best Original Song Oscar in 2001. She enjoyed a successful singing career in Asia throughout the '90s and 2000s.

CoCo's sisters Carol and Nancy released a statement on social media on Wednesday to announce the sad news of their sister's passing, following a suicide attempt.

They wrote, "With great sadness, we are here break the most devastating news: CoCo had been suffering from depression for a few years but her condition deteriorated drastically over the last few months. Although, CoCo sought professional help and did her best to fight depression, sadly that demon inside of her took the better of her."

The women explained that CoCo had attempted suicide on July 2, and was being treated in hospital until July 5, when she tragically died.

Carol and Nancy went on to celebrate CoCo's career, and said, "As a family of CoCo, we are very grateful and honored to have such an excellent and outstanding sister. We are thankful to God for giving us such a kind angel. We know now she has gone to a happier place and no longer suffers from depression; we trust God has her best interest looked after!"

They concluded, "Although CoCo stays in the world for not long a time, her rays of light will last forever!"

Iris Goldsztajn
Morning Editor

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Bustle and Shape. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.