Why has Netflix’s upcoming film sparked outrage among Muslims, Christians?

Netflix is set to release a biblical epic, Mary, on December 6. The film follows Mary’s journey to give birth to Jesus and the family’s efforts to escape the persecution of King Herod.

Directed by DJ Caruso, the movie stars Israeli actors Noa Cohen and Ido Tako as Mary and Joseph, respectively, with Hollywood’s Sir Anthony Hopkins portraying King Herod.

The casting choice has sparked outrage among many Muslims and Christians, who criticised the distortion of a sacred story through the casting of Israeli actors.

They argued that it’s highly ironic to use Israeli actors when Israel is actively killing innocent civilians and destroying churches and mosques in the land of Jesus and Mary.

DJ Caruso defended his casting decision in an interview, stating that he aimed for “authenticity” in the characters, which he believed the Israeli actors captured with a “unique blend of grace and presence.”

Social media criticism intensified as some labeled the lead actors as followers of Zionism, an ideology focused on establishing a Jewish state in Palestine to the detriment of its non-Jewish residents.

One X user commented, “Palestinians, descendants of the Virgin Mary, are being exterminated, and now there’s a Netflix movie about her— the irony is unreal.”

x.com

Palestinians who are descendants of virgin mary are being exterminated and they're making a movie about her on netflix, the irony is unreal.

— عليا (@witchhyEgyptian) November 13, 2024

According to Al Jazeera, at least 1,000 Palestinian Christians reside in Gaza, where the recent Israeli military offensive has killed 5 percent of this community among the more than 43,000 casualties, predominantly Muslim.

In July, Palestinian authorities condemned an Israeli missile strike on Gaza’s Saint Porphyrius Church, where Christians had taken shelter.

International Christian Concern has raised alarms over what it calls the “eradication” of the Christian population amid the Israeli offensive.

Videos and pictures have circulated online showing Israeli army vandalising mosques and desecrating religious texts.

The ongoing Israeli genocide , marked by gruesome massacres in Gaza and huge death toll of civilians, has led to a backlash against Mary, with critics accusing Netflix of allowing Israel to present itself in a positive light while engaging in violence against the same religious communities the movie portrays.

x.com

It's funny how you cast JEWS that spits on CHRISTIANS, believed MARY is a WHORE, JESUS is a SORCERER and he's boiling in HUMAN EXCREMENT in a "supposed" Christian movie. https://t.co/qLyqBj6jsJ pic.twitter.com/SSisOzHbqq

— Anthony Collins 🍉 (@Thefrogkilller) November 14, 2024

x.com

The Netflix “Mary” film is blasphemous garbage and denies the Immaculate Conception.

No Catholic should watch it.

— Pinesap🎄🍯✝️☦️🇻🇦 (@Pinesap3wasc) November 14, 2024

x.com

Half the cast is Israeli, including Noa Cohen who plays Mary. Looks like shit anyway, but needless to say avoid this like the plague https://t.co/bRVNm72Ek6

— Victims of Capitalism Memorial Foundation (@karaokecomputer) November 13, 2024

x.com

The role of Mary (a Palestinian) in the upcoming Netflix Original is being played by an “israeli” named Noa Cohen. “israel” has destroyed some of the oldest churches in the world. Jesus was also Palestinian.

— Omar | عمر (@thegingarab) November 13, 2024

x.com

there's a new Netflix film about the Virgin Mary, a Palestinian woman, and she's being played by a zionist Israeli. The cast includes IOF soldiers, too.

and of course, a few white British folks for good measure.

what an absolute pile of shite.

— Shay I I I 🇵🇸 (@ShayC1993) November 13, 2024

x.com

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

x.com

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 https://t.co/66g61rs7FL

— kenzie ♡ (@Aerea_caeles) November 13, 2024