Copyright Screen Rant
Mary's casting in Mel Gibson's The Resurrection of the Christ is fueling intense backlash online. Though Maia Morgenstern played Mary, the mother of Jesus, in The Passion of the Christ (2004), Kasia Smutniak has been recast in the role for the upcoming sequel The Resurrection of the Christ. However, per Variety, Kasia Smutniak's casting as Mary in The Resurrection of the Christ has stirred controversy among far-right Catholic groups in her home country, Poland, who have criticized the choice due to her reputation as a pro-abortion activist. According to Polish media, backers of the conservative pro-life Law and Justice party have sent letters to Mel Gibson's production company, Icon Productions, objecting to Smutniak's casting. The letters point to her involvement with the Strajk Kobiet (Women's Strike) movement, recognizable by its red lightning bolt suffragette logo, which has led nationwide protests against Poland's restrictive abortion laws. When contacted by Variety, Gibson's publicist, Alan Nierob, said he was unaware of any such protest. Smutniak's agent declined to comment. Some Polish critics of Smutniak's casting have even taken to X to rally backing from conservative U.S. figures such as Candace Owens, as seen in the post below by @Ulalala79616: Born in Poland, Smutniak now resides in Italy, where she has appeared in over 40 films and television shows, including the Sky series Devils and Domina. She made her directorial debut with the 2023 documentary Walls, which serves as a travel diary through her native Poland, criticizing the government-built barrier in the so-called red zone of eastern Poland intended to block migrant crossings. The Resurrection of the Christ started filming in early October 2025 with its ensemble entirely recast, including Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen (The Last Kingdom) taking over the role of Jesus from Jim Caviezel, Cuban actress Mariela Garriga playing Mary Magdalene (previously portrayed by Monica Bellucci), and Smutniak stepping in for Maia Morgenstern as Mary. Caviezel, the star of The Passion of the Christ, is an outspoken Catholic who opposes abortion, while Bellucci has publicly defended women's right to choose, calling abortion bans a "moral falsehood." Thus, Gibson's decision to cast an actress with pro-abortion views is not unprecedented, even though he himself is a conservative figure known for opposing both contraception and abortion. The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One is currently scheduled for release on March 26, 2027, followed by Part Two on May 6, 2027.
