Noa Cohen (Hebrew: נֹועָה כֹּהֵן; born 3 August 2002) is an Israeli actress and model who is known for her portrayal of the Virgin Mary in the upcoming 2024 epic biblical film Mary.
Noa Cohen | |
|---|---|
 Cohen in 2024 | |
| Born | August 3, 2002 |
| Occupation(s) | actress model |
| Years active | 2018–present |
Personal life
editCohen was born on 3 August 2002. She is Jewish and is a practitioner of yoga.[1][2]
She partnered with Starting Over Sanctuary, an Israeli nonprofit organization focused on animal safety.[3]
Career
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Cohen modeled for various brands, including Veet, JENNYUNIQUE, HOODIES.IL, Smashbox Cosmetics, and Essence Cosmetics.[3][2]
She began her media career working for Channel 13.[4] She began acting professionally in 2018, landing her first television role in the sitcom My Sister Skipped A Grade.[4] She went on to appear in various Israeli television shows including My Nephew From Hell (2021), Infinity (2022), and. 8200 (2024).[4] In 2022, she made her film debut in the spy thriller Silent Game.[4]
In 2024, Cohen was cast as the Virgin Mary in D. J. Caruso's epic biblical film Mary, starring alongside Ido Tako and Sir Anthony Hopkins.[2] Her casting, as an Israeli Jewish woman, was criticized on social media, with critics arguing that the role should have been given to a Palestinian actress.[5][6] Caruso stated, "It was important to us that Mary, along with most of our primary cast, be selected from Israel to ensure authenticity."[7]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Silent Game | Shiryn | |
| 2024 | Mary | Mary of Nazareth |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | My Sister Skipped A Grade | 2 episodes | |
| 2021 | My Nephew From Hell | Neta Abexasis | |
| 2022 | Infinity | Gili | 5 episodes |
| 2024 | 8200 | 8 episodes |
References
edit- ^ "'A disgusting Jew': Uproar after Netflix casts Jewish-Israeli actress to play Mary, Jesus's mom". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. November 14, 2024.
- ^ a b c Fox, Mira (November 15, 2024). "An Israeli woman in playing Mary in a Netflix movie — and the outcry is getting weird". The Forward.
- ^ a b "Who is Noa Cohen? Meet the protagonist of Netflix's upcoming faith-based thriller Mary".
- ^ a b c d Felt, Klein (November 14, 2024). "Meet Noa Cohen, Netflix's New Mother Mary Actress". The Direct.
- ^ "'Jesus was Palestinian': Netflix's 'Mary' ignites storm over casting of Israelis". www.israelhayom.com. 2024-11-14. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
- ^ "'Mary' Controversy: Why Netflix Is Under Fire For Casting Noa Cohen In Anthony Hopkins Starrer". news.abplive.com. November 15, 2024.
- ^ Brathwaite, Lester Fabian (15 October 2024). "The mother of Jesus Christ goes on the run in 'Mary' first-look photos". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 16 October 2024.