Why has Netflix’s Mary movie cast caused backlash from the audience? Explained

Netflix’s Mary is a biblical drama retelling the story of the birth of Christ through the perspective of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Directed by D.J. Caruso (Disturbia, Redeeming Love), the movie is set to premiere on Netflix on December 6, 2024.

The coming-of-age narrative has drawn backlash over social media in the past week after the trailer release. This backlash comes from pro-Palestine groups, who are unhappy with the selection of Israeli actors for roles like Mary and Joseph. The movie is also being criticized for the alleged whitewashing of the biblical characters.

Read along to learn about netizens' reactions.

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Why is Netflix’s Mary movie receiving criticism from netizens?

Netflix’s Mary has faced criticism from netizens and groups due to its casting of Israeli-Jewish actor Noa Cohen as the lead. Cohen has been public in her support of Israel, and with the ongoing tensions and the Israel-Palestine war, the audience feels that the casting is insensitive.

"F*** you. I'm an offended Catholic. F***ing have an Israeli play Mary? May you all be fucking smited. Blasphemous" an X user wrote.

"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" another user commented.

The audience also had issues with the commercialization of the biblical figure and believed it to be a disregard for sacred beliefs.

"It's utterly disrespectful to portray religious figures in such a trivialized manner, especially when it’s done for profit or entertainment. The casting of an Israeli actress to play Mary, the mother of Jesus, is not just a casting choice—it's a clear political statement that trivializes sacred beliefs. Christians worldwide hold Mary in reverence, and to commercialize her image like this is nothing short of sacrilege.", a user posted.

Netflix was also under fire previously for removing Palestinian content from its site. The streaming platform replied that the content was only removed because of licensing issues.

"You've removed all Palestinian content from your platform. #BoycottNetflix", a user said.

"We canceled y’all for removing all documentaries about Gaza.", another user added.

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Other reasons for criticism of Netflix’s Mary

Netflix is also being criticized for modernizing the story. The audience is upset with the trailer's alleged historical inaccuracies and believes it will not do justice to Mary's life.

"I already see some issues in the Trailer. People, don’t expect anything orthodox from Netflix", a user said.

"I watched the preview specifically looking for things I didn’t like or agree with: 1. They don’t mention God. 2. The Angel is dressed in all black and hiding in the shadows. 3. Joseph made one statement that made him seem more in love with Mary than if he were listening to God.", another user commented.

Joseph was an old man. Not a young man! They always get this wrong — following the delusional West…, another user added.

In a statement to Entertainment Weekly about Netflix’s Mary, director D.J. Caruso mentioned that it was important for them for Mary and the primary cast to be from Israel "to ensure authenticity.” Apart from Noa Cohen, the cast includes other Israeli actors Ido Tako, Ori Pfeffer, Keren Tzur, Hilla Vidor, and Mili Avital. Academy Award-winner Anthony Hopkins is also joining as King Herod.

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Stay tuned for more updates on Netflix’s Mary.