Fans who saw the new Netflix film Mary, based on the biblical figure of the same name, have questioned the creative liberties the movie took while telling the story. Recently, Noa Cohen, the lead actress, shared her perspective on the changes made to Mary’s story in Netflix’s film. As such, fans are now wondering what Cohen said about the changes.
Here is everything you need to know.
Noa Cohen on changes made to bible’s story in Netflix’s Mary
Noa Cohen expressed support for the changes made to Mary’s biblical story for the Netflix film. Cohen added that those changes were what prompted her to take the role in the first place.
In an interview with Mama’s Geeky, alongside director D.J. Caruso, Cohen explained that Mary was being portrayed in a “whole new light” in the film. “It’s giving her her voice back. She’s not just a vessel for something greater than herself,” Cohen said. “It’s her story. It’s being told from her perspective. It’s her emotions and her fears that drive the narrative, and that just felt really really interesting to me.”
Meanwhile, Caruso described Mary as a “superhero without powers,” and explained his intention of wanting to show younger viewers “a character they can really relate to.”
Mary features several key differences from the story traditionally told in the Bible. Mary’s time at the Temple of Jerusalem, which is not covered in the Bible, is explored. The Bible only tells Mary’s story from the time she married Joseph.
Moreover, the film also omits several things from Mary’s biblical story. These include Joseph being visited by archangel Gabriel, Elizabeth and John the Baptist’s biblical reaction to Mary being pregnant with Jesus. Furthermore, it also skips the time Mary and Joseph spent in Egypt. Additionally, Jesus’ birth is also shown in the ruins with a midwife, unlike the biblical depiction of his birth in a Bethlehem stable. Also, Mary’s mother is present at Jesus’ birth instead of livestock.
