Popular streaming platform Netflix is facing widespread criticism for its decision to cast Israeli actors in lead roles for the upcoming biblical film Mary, which is set to premiere on December 6, ahead of Christmas.
The film, which attempts to reimagine the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus has an Israeli yoga instructor, Noa Cohen playing the titular character.
The cast also includes several other Israeli actors in lead roles, such as Ido Tako, who depicts Joseph, Ori Pfeffer, Mili Avital, Keren Tzur and Hilla Vidor.
Since the release of the trailer of the film, Netflix has been facing severe criticism including calls to boycott the platform for attempting to erase the historical characters’ Palestinian roots while Israel carries out “genocidal attacks” against the birthplace of Jesus.
One person called it “deeply blasphemous” to cast an Israeli as Mary while “Israel is carrying out a genocide against Palestinians, killing some of the oldest Christian populations in the area and destroying their heritage sites.”
“A film about a Palestinian woman played by actors from the settler state that is currently mass slaughtering palestinian women. oh the disgusting audacity,” another social media user wrote.