Mary: Netflix faces backlash for casting Israeli actors in lead roles in upcoming biblical film

Popular streaming giant Netflix is facing a deluge of criticism from social media users over its decision to cast Israeli actors in lead roles for the upcoming biblical film Mary.

Set to premiere on 6 December, the film reimagines the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and features Israeli actress and yoga instructor Noa Cohen as the titular character.

The film appears to chronicle Jesus' birth, Mary's journey as an unwed mother facing societal rejection and King Herod's "murderous hunt" to track them down, fearing a threat to his rule.

According to IMDB, the cast also includes several other Israeli actors, such as Ido Tako, who depicts Joseph, Ori Pfeffer, Mili Avital, Keren Tzur and Hilla Vidor.

Meanwhile, Academy Award-winning British actor Anthony Hopkins is set to portray King Herod.

Since the trailer debuted earlier this week, several social media users have called for a boycott of Netflix, with many accusing the platform of erasing the characters' Palestinian roots with the decision to cast Israelis.

"Netflix thought it was a good idea to cast an israali to place Mother Mary like israelis aren’t bombing the homeland of Jesus himself as well as all the churches," one user wrote.

"Israel is currently bombing the very land Jesus was born in and yet netflix thinks im gonna watch a movie about The Virgin Mary with israeli leads," another added.

There is something profoundly offensive about having an Israeli actor play Mary, the mother of Jesus, while Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians, killing some of the oldest Christian communities in the world and erasing their heritage sites. https://t.co/Vk6O7659Ak

— John P (@Johnpatrick500) November 13, 2024

"There is something profoundly offensive about having an Israeli actor play Mary, the mother of Jesus, while Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians, killing some of the oldest Christian communities in the world and erasing their heritage sites," another said.

The film's director, DJ Caruso, recently described the film as a "coming of age" story about a "smart, strong-willed young woman facing monumental challenges: overcoming social stigma, evading a jealous king and bearing the weight of a world-changing destiny."

Caruso also defended the decision to cast Israeli actors saying it was "important to us that Mary, along with most of our primary cast, be selected from Israel to ensure authenticity."

Since the war on Gaza erupted after the 7 October 2023 attacks on southern Israel, more women and children have been killed in Gaza than in any other conflict in the past two decades.

Entire neighbourhoods have been erased with homes, schools and hospitals decimated by air strikes and artillery shelling. Some buildings are still standing, but most are battered shells.

""Israeł" has destroyed 3 churches in Gaza over the past year, and ki!!ed at least 3% of Gaza's Christian population meanwhile the director of this film believed the main cast including the lead role of Mary should be "israełi" to "ensure authenticity,"" one user wrote.

While Israel bombs churches and settlers harass christians in Jerusalem and Bethlehem, Netflix thought it would be a great idea to choose an Israeli with an Instagram face to portray Virgin Mary. https://t.co/D5JgyxGiGL

— Ghida (@ghidaarnaout) November 14, 2024

Last month Netflix rejected accusations that it was engaged in anti-Palestinian bias after it deleted an entire library of Palestinian films. The platform said the titles were removed because a three-year licensing period was set to expire.

"We launched this licensed collection of films in 2021 for three years. Those licenses have now expired. As always, we continue to invest in a wide variety of quality films and TV shows to meet our members' needs, and celebrate voices from around the world," Netflix said in a statement.

MEE reached out to Netflix and Cohen for comment but did not receive a response by time of publication.