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Israeli actress Noa Cohen, known for her role as the mother of Jesus in the Netflix film «Mary», has disclosed receiving death threats during the movie's production in Morocco.
Speaking on Keshet 12's «Good Evening with Guy Benes» program, Cohen shared that she received threatening messages from Moroccan social media users, who claimed to know her hotel location. «It made me feel unsafe, being in a Muslim country like Morocco, and I had to be surrounded by tight security all the time,» Cohen remarked.
She emphasized that these security measures were stipulated in her contract. «It was scary, especially when people started finding out where I was in Morocco, and I started getting messages on Instagram,» she said. Despite the threats, the filming of the $70 million movie proceeded without interruption.
Released in December ahead of the holiday season, «Mary» quickly climbed to the top of Netflix's global charts, maintaining its position for over a month. With Sir Anthony Hopkins among the cast, the film narrates the story of Mary, mother of Jesus, played by Noa Cohen. Morocco was selected as the filming location to replicate the cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
Filming commenced in early 2024 at various sites across Morocco. Director D.J. Caruso previously stated, «We chose Morocco for its natural diversity, where we wandered through its vast desert and visited ancient abandoned villages dating back more than 700 years.»
One of the film's significant reconstructions in Morocco was King Herod's Second Temple. For scenes set in Jerusalem, the producers utilized a set originally created by director Ridley Scott for his 2005 film «Kingdom of Heaven», located in Ouarzazate, often referred to as «Little Hollywood». The city of Chefchaouen, renowned for its blue buildings and mountainous scenery, was used as a stand-in for Bethlehem.
Filming wrapped up in Morocco by April, with the movie premiering on Netflix on December 6.
