Mel Gibson has encountered criticism for casting a pro-choice actress as Mary, the mother of Jesus, in his forthcoming film.
The controversy revolves around Kasia Smutniak, a Polish actress known for her support of women’s rights, who has been chosen to portray the Virgin Mary in “The Resurrection of the Christ.” Filming commenced this month at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios.
The choice to cast Smutniak, who is 46 and an advocate for women’s issues, has sparked backlash against the 69-year-old director. Many Christian Catholics oppose abortion, arguing it conflicts with their religious beliefs.
Following the announcement of Smutniak’s casting, supporters of Poland’s conservative Law and Justice Party (PiS) reportedly voiced their objections to Gibson’s production company, Icon Productions. They highlighted Smutniak’s involvement with the Strajk Kobiet (Women’s Strike) movement, which led protests against Poland’s restrictive abortion laws.
A user on X shared a screenshot of Smutniak’s Instagram, displaying her with Polish and English phrases on her face, such as ‘right to abortion’ and ‘my body my choice’.
The post reads: “Kasia Smutniak, Polish-Italian actress, was chosen to play Jesus’ Mother in Mel Gibson’s new movie Passion of the Christ. Should someone with such strong left-wing views and supporting for abortion play this role? Please, look onto her face… all this inscriptions are protests against life.”
“If she really played this role, more than half of Poles and Christians of all the world not watch this movie. On Polish-speaking X boils.”
The film, which serves as a sequel to the 2004 hit “The Passion of the Christ,” features a complete recast. Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen will portray Jesus, replacing Jim Caviezel, and Mariela Garriga from Cuba takes over from Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene.
You can watch the original 2004 The Passion of the Christ trailer here:
“The Resurrection of the Christ” will depict Jesus’ journey through Hell leading up to the Resurrection and is slated for release in 2027, over two decades after Gibson’s original film.
This isn’t the first instance where Gibson, who has expressed pro-life views, has collaborated with actors who support abortion rights. Monica Bellucci, who appeared in the original movie, has previously criticized abortion bans as ‘moral falsehoods’.
It remains to be seen whether this controversy will impact the film’s box office performance or merely escalate online debates.
Efforts have been made to contact Smutniak and Gibson for their reactions.