Netflix’s Mary Sparks Antisemitic Outrage on Social Media
22-years-old Israeli actress Noa Cohen as Mary in Netflix's new series
Christopher Raphael/Netflix
The Netflix series Mary, set to be released on 6 December, has come under fire following antisemitic attacks on social media after the unveiling of its first trailer this week. Users have expressed outrage because Mary, who was Jewish, is portrayed by an Israeli actress, and several cast members are Israeli.
Earlier this week, the first official trailer for the Netflix series about Mary of Nazareth, the mother of Jesus Christ, was unveiled. The ‘coming-of-age biblical epic’ tells the story of one of history’s most profound figures and the remarkable journey that led to the birth of Jesus, Netflix wrote in the series’ announcement. The biggest name in the cast is clearly Anthony Hopkins, who plays King Herod, with the series set to debut on 6 December. The most famous female figure in history, Mary, will be portrayed on screen by Noa Cohen, a 22-year-old Israeli aspiring actress, and the cast includes several other Israeli actors.
Witness the courage, the strength and the faith that made her MARY. December 6 only on Netflix. Watch MARY, only on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/MARY About Netflix: Netflix is one of the world’s leading entertainment services, with 283 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, films and games across a wide variety of genres and languages.
Cohen and the cast of Israeli actors have sparked an outpouring of antisemitic outrage on social media. Comment sections were flooded with hateful remarks, with Cohen being referred to as a ‘disgusting Jew’. ‘Jews created this, and the actors are Jewish. No thanks,’ one user wrote.
The hateful comments are clearly ignorant of history, as Mary was also a Jew according to the Bible. One user even went so far as to say—though (hopefully) in an ironic manner—that ‘Mary was not a Jew’. ‘As a Muslim, you have no right to insult Mother Mary, one of the greatest female figures in Islam,’ it says.
‘The internet is having a meltdown that a Jewish woman of the land 2,000 years ago is being played by a Jewish woman of the land today’
There were also commenters who defended the new Netflix series and Noa Cohen. Elica Le Bon, the Iranian activist, attorney, and influencer who dedicates herself to opposing the lies of the Islamic Republic of Iran, its proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah, and their followers around the world, condemned this outpouring of antisemitism. She said: ‘The internet is having a meltdown that a Jewish woman of the land 2,000 years ago is being played by a Jewish woman of the land today. Why? Because it reminds us of Jewish indigeneity before conquests & defeats their white colonizer narrative—a lie they’ll die to protect.’
The internet is having a melt down that a Jewish woman of the land 2,000 years ago is being played by a Jewish woman of the land today. Why? Because it reminds us of Jewish indigeneity before conquests & defeats their white colonizer narrative – a lie they’ll die to protect.
Due to the antisemitic harassment campaign, Cohen has disabled comments on her Instagram post featuring the trailer. The 22-year-old actress previously stated that she felt a ‘tremendous responsibility’ portraying the title character of Mary.
The series’ director, DJ Caruso, defended the decision to cast Israeli actors, saying it was ‘important to us that Mary, along with most of our primary cast, be selected from Israel to ensure authenticity.’
Antisemitism in Western European countries and the United States has flared up again in recent weeks. As reported by Hungarian Conservative on 7 November 2024, following a UEFA Europa League match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax in Amsterdam, Israeli football fans were subjected to violent attacks by pro-Palestinian assailants. The incidents resulted in at least ten injuries, with three individuals reported missing. Videos circulating on social media depict attackers wielding knives, clubs, and vehicles while shouting anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian slogans.
As a result of the attack, Maccabi Tel Aviv will play their next match against Beşiktaş in Debrecen, Hungary instead of Istanbul. UEFA made the decision to avoid further incidents and for security reasons. Türkiye is a staunch supporter of Palestine, and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has repeatedly accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of commiting genocide in Gaza.
The Netflix series Mary, set to be released on 6 December, has come under fire following antisemitic attacks on social media after the unveiling of its first trailer this week. Users have expressed outrage because Mary, who was Jewish, is portrayed by an Israeli actress, and several cast members are Israeli.
Joakim Scheffer graduated from the University of Szeged with a Master’s degree in International Relations. Before joining Hungarian Conservative, he worked as an editor at the foreign policy desk of Hungarian daily Magyar Nemzet and serves as the editor of Eurasia magazine.
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Netflix’s Mary Sparks Antisemitic Outrage on Social Media
Netflix’s Mary Sparks Antisemitic Outrage on Social Media
22-years-old Israeli actress Noa Cohen as Mary in Netflix's new series
Christopher Raphael/Netflix
Earlier this week, the first official trailer for the Netflix series about Mary of Nazareth, the mother of Jesus Christ, was unveiled. The ‘coming-of-age biblical epic’ tells the story of one of history’s most profound figures and the remarkable journey that led to the birth of Jesus, Netflix wrote in the series’ announcement. The biggest name in the cast is clearly Anthony Hopkins, who plays King Herod, with the series set to debut on 6 December. The most famous female figure in history, Mary, will be portrayed on screen by Noa Cohen, a 22-year-old Israeli aspiring actress, and the cast includes several other Israeli actors.
Watch the full trailer here:
Cohen and the cast of Israeli actors have sparked an outpouring of antisemitic outrage on social media. Comment sections were flooded with hateful remarks, with Cohen being referred to as a ‘disgusting Jew’. ‘Jews created this, and the actors are Jewish. No thanks,’ one user wrote.
The hateful comments are clearly ignorant of history, as Mary was also a Jew according to the Bible. One user even went so far as to say—though (hopefully) in an ironic manner—that ‘Mary was not a Jew’. ‘As a Muslim, you have no right to insult Mother Mary, one of the greatest female figures in Islam,’ it says.
There were also commenters who defended the new Netflix series and Noa Cohen. Elica Le Bon, the Iranian activist, attorney, and influencer who dedicates herself to opposing the lies of the Islamic Republic of Iran, its proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah, and their followers around the world, condemned this outpouring of antisemitism. She said: ‘The internet is having a meltdown that a Jewish woman of the land 2,000 years ago is being played by a Jewish woman of the land today. Why? Because it reminds us of Jewish indigeneity before conquests & defeats their white colonizer narrative—a lie they’ll die to protect.’
Due to the antisemitic harassment campaign, Cohen has disabled comments on her Instagram post featuring the trailer. The 22-year-old actress previously stated that she felt a ‘tremendous responsibility’ portraying the title character of Mary.
The series’ director, DJ Caruso, defended the decision to cast Israeli actors, saying it was ‘important to us that Mary, along with most of our primary cast, be selected from Israel to ensure authenticity.’
Antisemitism in Western European countries and the United States has flared up again in recent weeks. As reported by Hungarian Conservative on 7 November 2024, following a UEFA Europa League match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax in Amsterdam, Israeli football fans were subjected to violent attacks by pro-Palestinian assailants. The incidents resulted in at least ten injuries, with three individuals reported missing. Videos circulating on social media depict attackers wielding knives, clubs, and vehicles while shouting anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian slogans.
As a result of the attack, Maccabi Tel Aviv will play their next match against Beşiktaş in Debrecen, Hungary instead of Istanbul. UEFA made the decision to avoid further incidents and for security reasons. Türkiye is a staunch supporter of Palestine, and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has repeatedly accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of commiting genocide in Gaza.
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