Maia Morgenstern is a renowned Romanian film and stage actress, widely regarded as a symbol of Romanian theater and film. She is perhaps best known in the English-speaking world for her portrayal of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ.
Morgenstern's journey in the entertainment industry began in her native Bucharest, where she was born into a Jewish family. She graduated from the Film and Theatre Academy of Bucharest in 1985 and went on to play various roles at several theaters, including the Teatrul Tineretului, the Teatrul Evreiesc de Stat, and the National Theatre.
Throughout her career, Morgenstern has been a member of the company at Teatrul Bulandra in Bucharest, where she continues to act alongside her work at other Bucharest theaters and venues throughout Romania. Some of her notable stage roles include her critically acclaimed performance as Lola Lola in a Romanian-language production of The Blue Angel at the Odeon Theater in 2001-2002, as well as her portrayal of Kathleen Hogan in a Romanian-language production of Israel Horovitz's Park Your Car in Harvard Yard at the State Jewish Theater.
In addition to her work on stage, Morgenstern has appeared in numerous films, primarily in Hungarian and Romanian-language roles. Her performance in The Passion of the Christ, in which she spoke in Aramaic, was particularly notable. Despite not speaking the language fluently, Morgenstern memorized her lines phonetically, much like the other actors in the film.
Morgenstern's surname, Morgenstern, is of German origin and means "Morning Star," a title often associated with the Virgin Mary, the character she played in The Passion of the Christ. Mel Gibson, a devout Traditionalist Catholic, saw this as a significant coincidence when casting her for the role.
In interviews, Morgenstern has defended The Passion against allegations of anti-Semitism, arguing that the high priest Caiaphas is portrayed as a leader of the establishment rather than a representative of the Jewish people. She has also stated that "Authorities throughout history have persecuted individuals with revolutionary ideas."
Morgenstern has been married twice and has three children: Tudor Aaron, Eva Leea Cabiria, and Ana Isadora.
