Nearly two decades after ‘The Passion of the Christ’ shook audiences around the world, Mel Gibson’s long-awaited sequel is almost here, ‘The Resurrection of Christ‘. Set to explore Jesus’s journey through Hell before His resurrection, the film has already begun production in Rome. But just as anticipation began to build, one surprising casting decision has set off a storm that no one saw coming.
Virgin Mary Casting Controversy In ‘The Resurrection of Christ‘
In ‘The Resurrection of Christ‘, Polish-born actor Kasia Smutniak will portray the Virgin Mary. And this decision has upset many Polish groups who oppose her political activism. Smutniak, a well-known advocate for women’s rights, has been a vocal supporter of the Strajk Kobiet movement.
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Supporters of Poland’s right-wing Law and Justice party have reportedly written letters to Gibson’s production company and condemned Smutniak’s selection. According to PolskiRadio, the complaints accuse the director of ignoring Polish Christian sentiment. It all resulted from the decision to cast an actor who supports abortion rights.
The outrage, however, hasn’t been limited to Poland only. Several social media users have taken their criticism to X, tagging conservative commentators and influencers to gain attention. One user directly reached out to political figure Candace Owens to ask what she thought of Smutniak’s involvement.
The post included an old Instagram image of the actor, with her middle finger covering one eye. The user questioned whether someone with “strong left-wing views” and open support for abortion should play the Virgin Mary.
Mel Gibson Responds To The Claims
When contacted by Variety, Gibson’s publicist said the director was unaware of the protests. Meanwhile, sources confirmed that Smutniak’s representatives had been approached for comment but had not yet responded. Despite the backlash, production on ‘The Resurrection of Christ‘ is underway in Rome. The sequel introduces a completely new cast compared to the 2004 original.
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Smutniak replaces Maia Morgenstern as Mary, while Cuban actor Mariela Garriga steps into the role of Mary Magdalene. The role of Jesus, which Jim Caviezel was expected to reprise, has now gone to Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen after plans changed during pre-production.
While Gibson’s opposition to abortion and birth control is well-documented, this isn’t the first time he has worked with actors who support reproductive rights. Monica Bellucci, who played Mary Magdalene in the initial one, had previously described abortion bans as a “moral falsehood”. She even expressed her belief in a woman’s right to choose.
Still, the current situation over Smutniak’s casting shows how polarizing Gibson’s biblical films continue to be. Now that the filming is in progress, ‘The Resurrection of Christ‘ is already attracting the same level of debate that surrounded its predecessor.
