As the season of Jesus’ birth approaches, faith-based films are flooding streaming platforms, but Netflix’s new movie Mary has become an unexpected lightning rod for controversy.
Why is Netflix’s New Movie Mary Being Cancelled?
Billed as a biographical retelling of Mary, the mother of Jesus, the film traces her journey from her childhood—when her parents, Joachim and Anne, prayed for a child—through her encounter with the Angel Gabriel, her marriage to Joseph, and the flight to Egypt to escape King Herod’s deadly decree. While the plot may sound like a reverent tribute, Mary has ignited a firestorm of backlash online, and not for the reasons you might expect.
Critics have slammed the film’s casting, particularly the decision to cast Israeli actress Noa Cohen as Mary. With the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, many have accused Netflix of “whitewashing” biblical history and failing to authentically represent Palestinian and Christian identities. The timing of this choice, amid a humanitarian crisis in Palestinian territories, has only amplified the uproar.
Adding fuel to the controversy, the movie’s creative liberties with theology and historical accuracy have also drawn ire. Despite the involvement of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim consultants during production, some Catholic viewers have accused the film of distorting sacred narratives, pointing to questionable dialogue, dramatized scenes, and perceived misinterpretations of theological truths.
The backlash hasn’t stopped there. Some critics have taken issue with the decision to shoot key scenes in Morocco’s Chefchaouen, a location far removed from the biblical landscapes of the story. While producers defended the choice as an artistic decision, others see it as a missed opportunity to stay geographically authentic.
The uproar has even turned ugly, with antisemitic remarks surfacing in online discussions, adding an unsettling layer of hate to the discourse. For many, Mary seems less like a celebration of faith and more like a divisive cultural flashpoint, with accusations of appropriation, insensitivity, and tone-deafness dominating the conversation.
Is Mary a victim of misplaced outrage, or is it a symbol of deeper issues in Hollywood’s handling of sacred stories? One thing is certain: this Netflix release is proving that even the holiest of tales can be mired in controversy.
This article was originally written in Spanish by Alan Cruz in Cultura Colectiva.
