Far-Right Groups in Poland Protest Casting of Mary in Mel Gibson’s The Resurrection of the Christ
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, Mel Gibson has sparked outrage among far-right groups in Poland by casting an actress who supports abortion rights. Kasia Smutniak, a Polish actress, will play Mary, the mother of Jesus, in Gibson’s film The Resurrection of the Christ. The movie is a sequel to The Passion of the Christ (2004), but none of the original cast has returned, and Gibson has chosen new faces. A spokesperson for Gibson told Variety that the director was unaware of these protests.
Local Polish media reported that supporters of the Law and Justice Party (PiS) sent a letter to Gibson’s Icon Productions objecting to Smutniak’s casting. The letter cited her support for the Strajk Kobiet (Women’s Strike) movement against Poland’s abortion laws.
Meanwhile, some have turned to the social media platform X to urge conservative figures like Candace Owens to speak out against Smutniak. One user wrote:
“Should someone with such left-leaning beliefs who supports abortion play this role?”
They added:
“If she plays this role, half of the people in Poland and Christians worldwide won’t watch this film.”
Filming for The Resurrection of the Christ has begun in Rome. The cast includes Jaku Ohtonen (The Last Kingdom) as Jesus, Marila Gariga (Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning) as Mary Magdalene replacing Monica Bellucci, Kasia Smutniak as Mary replacing Maya Morgenstern, Pier Luigi Pazzino as Peter, Riccardo Scamarcio (Modi) as Pontius Pilate, and Rupert Everett in a “small but important” role.
The film depicts the three days following Jesus’ crucifixion, whereas The Passion of the Christ focused on the twelve hours leading up to the crucifixion.
The Resurrection of the Christ is scheduled for theatrical release on March 26, 2027.
