Maia Morgenstern
Maia Emilia Ninel Morgenstern is a Romanian film and stage actress, described by Florin Mitu of AMOS News as "a symbol of Romanian theater and film". In the English-speaking world, she is probably best known for the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. In Romania, she has been nationally known since her 1992 role as Nela in Balanța, a film known in the United States as The Oak, set during the waning days of Communist Romania. She received a star on the Romanian Walk of Fame in Bucharest on 1 May 2011.
Biography
Born in Bucharest, in a Jewish family, she graduated from the Film and Theatre Academy of Bucharest in 1985. She then played at Teatrul Tineretului in Piatra Neamț until 1988, and at the Teatrul Evreiesc de Stat in Bucharest 1988, 1989, and 1990. From 1990 to 1998 she was a member of the company of the National Theatre in Bucharest, and since 1998 of Teatrul Bulandra, also in Bucharest; in addition, she continues to act at the Jewish State Theatre and other Bucharest theaters and elsewhere in Romania. Among her notable stage roles in recent years, in a Romanian-language production of The Blue Angel at Bucharest's Odeon Theater, in 2001-2 she played Lola Lola, the character made famous by Marlene Dietrich. At the same time, she was also playing the role of Kathleen Hogan in a Romanian-language production of Israel Horovitz's Park Your Car in Harvard Yard at the State Jewish Theater.Morgenstern has appeared in numerous films, primarily in Romanian language roles. In The Passion of the Christ, she performs a role in Aramaic, but like the other actors in the cast of that film, she simply memorized her lines phonetically.
Her surname, Morgenstern, means "Morning Star" in German, a title of the Virgin Mary, the character she played in The Passion of the Christ. Mel Gibson, a devout Traditionalist Catholic, thought this of great significance when casting her. In interviews, she has defended The Passion of the Christ against allegations of antisemitism, saying that the high priest Caiaphas is portrayed not as a representative of the Jewish people, but as a leader of the establishment, adding that "Authorities throughout history have persecuted individuals with revolutionary ideas."
Personal life
She has been married twice, and has 3 children: Tudor Aaron, an actor, Eva Leea Cabiria and Ana Isadora.Awards, recognition
She has won several major awards as an actress:- Best Actress for: Cei care platesc cu viața, Romanian Filmmakers Union
- UNITER Lucia Sturdza Bulandra Prize for her stage role as Medea in Trilogia antică, directed by Andrei Șerban.
- Best Actress for: Balanța, European Film Awards
- Best Actress for: Balanța, Cinéma Tout Ecran
- Best Actress for: Balanța, Romanian Filmmakers Union
- UNITER best actress award, for her role in Ghetto at the Romanian National Theatre.
- UNITER award for her performance in the stage production of .
- Best Film Actress for: The Passion of the Christ, Ethnic Multicultural Media Awards, UK
Filmography
| Film | Year | Role | Language |
| The Resurrection of the Christ | 2022 | Mary | Aramaic |
| What About Love | 2020 | Sister Martina | English, Spanish |
| Sacrificiul | 2019-2020 | Eva Oprea/ Eva Ioanid | Romanian |
| Capra cu trei iezi | 2019 | Capra | Romanian |
| Fructul oprit | 2019 | Mgda Popa | Romanian |
| High Strung | 2016 | Madame Markova | English |
| #Selfie69 | 2016 | Femeie Bila | Romanian |
| Miss Christina | 2013 | Mrs. Moscu | Romanian |
| The Secret of Polichinelle | 2013 | Maya | Romanian |
| Fata din Transilvania | 2011 | Romanian | |
| La fin du silence | 2011 | the mother | French |
| Sange Tanar, Munti Si Brazi | 2011 | Mama | Romanian drama |
| Luna verde | 2010 | Simona | Romanian |
| Iubire si onoare | 2010–2011 | Marieta | Romanian |
| Aniela | 2009–2010 | Maica Stareţa | Romanian |
| The House of Terror | 2008 | Eszter Somos | English |
| Eva | 2009 | Maria | English |
| The Fence | 2007 | Herman's mother | English |
| Mansfeld | 2006 | Mrs. Mansfeld | Hungarian / English / Russian / German |
| Margo | 2006 | Margo's stepmother | Romanian |
| Visuri otrăvite | 2006 | Ada's mother | Romanian |
| 15 | 2005 | Irene | Romanian / French |
| L'Homme pressé | 2005, TV | Bonne de Bois de Rose | French |
| Orient Express | 2004 | Amalia Frunzetti | Romanian |
| Damen tango | 2004 | Romanian | |
| The Passion of the Christ | 2004 | Mary | Aramaic |
| Căsătorie imposibilă | 2004, TV series | Romanian | |
| Bolondok éneke | 2003 | Gina | Hungarian / French / Romanian |
| A Rózsa énekei | 2003 | Olga | Hungarian |
| Patul lui Procust Based on Camil Petrescu's novel Patul lui Procust | 2001 | Doamna T. | Romanian |
| 2000, TV | woman at the fountain | English | |
| Marie, Nonna, la vierge et moi | 2000 | Nonna | French |
| Kínai védelem | 1999 | Hungarian | |
| Față în față | 1999 | Romanian | |
| Triunghiul morții | 1999 | Regina Maria | Romanian |
| Az Álombánya | 1998, TV, short | Hungarian | |
| Witman fiúk | 1997 | Mrs. Witman | Hungarian |
| Omul zilei | 1997 | Romanian | |
| Ulysses' Gaze | 1995 | playing opposite Harvey Keitel as Ulysses' wife | English / Greek |
| The Seventh Chamber | 1995 | Edith Stein | Hungarian |
| Nostradamus | 1994 | Helen | English |
| Trahir | 1993 | woman in prison | French / Romanian |
| Casa din vis | 1993 | Romanian | |
| Cel mai iubit dintre pămînteni based on Marin Preda's novel Cel mai iubit dintre pământeni | 1993 | Romanian | |
| Balanța | 1992 | Nela | Romanian |
| Rămînerea | 1992 | Romanian | |
| Băiatul cu o singură bretea, also known as Flăcăul cu o singura bretea | 1991 | Romanian | |
| Cei care plătesc cu viața | 1991 | Romanian | |
| Pasaj | 1990 | Romanian | |
| Marea sfidare | 1989 | Romanian | |
| Maria și marea | 1988 | Maria | Romanian |
| Anotimpul iubirii | 1986 | Romanian | |
| Secretul lui Bachus | 1984 | the girl in the restaurant | Romanian |
| Dreptate în lanțuri | 1983 | Romanian | |
| Prea cald pentru luna mai | 1983 | Romanian |