Leftists Are Angry That A Jewish Actress Is Playing "Mary" In Netflix’s New Biblical Movie
Leftists are angered over the fact that an Israeli woman is playing "Mary" in Netflix's adaptation.
The first trailer for Mary – Netflix's adaptation of the nativity story – has sparked fury on social media platforms since its release. The film, directed by D.J. Caruso, will be released on December 6. It stars 22-year-old Israeli actress Noa Cohen as Mary.
Twitter account @DiscussingFilm shared the trailer, with many viewers expressing their anger and disbelief that an Israeli actress is the protagonist. User @misscoco_lover wrote, “Netflix making a movie about Mary and played by Israeli actors. Girll bffr. You’re the last people to be ever mentioning Jesus and his family. Dead*ss this is a war against spirituality and I know exactly what this means.”
Someone else in the thread provided additional context, stating that the film is directed by a Catholic and produced by Christian pastor Joel Osteen, who reportedly opted for Israeli actors for authenticity.
User @gidanthe responded to the trailer and wrote, “played by an israeli actress lmao go f*ck yourself.”
Viewers like @arabmrdarcy lost their minds: “if you make a movie about mary where everyone is portrayed as non-middle eastern you deserve criticism, if you make a movie about mary and she's played by an israeli you deserve to be shot in the head," he wrote.
“Not only did they not cast a single Arab, let alone a Levant, LET ALONE A PALESTINIAN,” tweeted @FairuzeAlBahr, “but the piece of sh*t who plays the role of Mary is Israeli. F*ck this movie, and f*ck anyone who watches it.”
Despite the controversy, some Twitter users have defended the casting. “The film and casting is actually accurate,” argued @koshercockney, noting that the production avoided "race-swapping," a Netflix move often seen in their religious and historical adaptations.
Amid the controversy, Cohen herself has responded to the attention with a message of responsibility and humility, saying that it was a "tremendous responsibility" to play Mary, according to USA TODAY.
“It was crucial to me that this film honors Mary’s reverence and grace while also portraying her as a relatable teenage woman with fears and doubts, just like any of us. Yet it’s her courage, her love and her faith that push her forward," director D.J. Caruso said. "Our Mary has an edge – she’s real, she’s cool – and audiences will see her struggles and triumphs in a way they’ve never imagined. Mary isn’t so different from modern young people on her journey to becoming the iconic figure we all recognize.”
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