| Noa Cohen | |
|---|---|
 Cohen in 2024 | |
| Born | (2002-08-03) 3 August 2002 (age 22) |
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, model, television host |
| Years active | 2018–present |
Noa Cohen (Hebrew: נֹועָה כֹּהֵן; born (2002-08-03)3 August 2002) is an Israeli actress and model who is known for her portrayal of the Virgin Mary in the 2024 film Mary.
Early and personal life
Cohen was raised in a Jewish-Israeli family.
She partnered with Starting Over Sanctuary, an Israeli non-profit-organization focused on pets and animal safety.
Career
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Cohen modeled for various fashion and cosmetic brands, such as Veet, Jennyunique, Bar Refaeli's hoodies brand, Smashbox Cosmetics (by Estée Lauder), Essence Cosmetics and BananHot.
She began her media career working for Channel Reshet 13. She began acting professionally in 2018, landing her first television role in the sitcom My Sister Skipped A Grade. She went on to appear in various Israeli television shows including My Nephew From Hell (2021), Infinity (2022) and 8200 (2024). In 2022, she made her film debut in the spy thriller Silent Game.
In 2024, Cohen was cast as the Virgin Mary in D. J. Caruso's epic Christian biblical film Mary, starring alongside Ido Tako and Sir Anthony Hopkins. Her casting, as a Jewish-Israeli woman was criticized on social media, some arguing that the role should have been given to a Palestinian actress. Caruso stated, "It was important to us that Mary, along with most of our primary cast, be selected from Israel to ensure authenticity."
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Silent Game | Shiryn | |
| 2024 | Mary | Mary of Nazareth |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | My Sister Skipped A Grade | 2 episodes | |
| 2021 | My Nephew From Hell | Neta Abecassis | |
| 2022 | Infinity | Gili | 5 episodes |
| 2024 | 8200 | 8 episodes |
References
- "'A disgusting Jew': Uproar after Netflix casts Jewish-Israeli actress to play Mary, Jesus's mom". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 14 November 2024. Archived from the original on 16 November 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
- ^ Fox, Mira (15 November 2024). "An Israeli woman in playing Mary in a Netflix movie — and the outcry is getting weird". The Forward.
- ^ "Who is Noa Cohen? Meet the protagonist of Netflix's upcoming faith-based thriller Mary".
- ^ Felt, Klein (14 November 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. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
- "'Mary' Controversy: Why Netflix Is Under Fire For Casting Noa Cohen In Anthony Hopkins Starrer". news.abplive.com. 15 November 2024. Archived from the original on 15 November 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
- Brathwaite, Lester Fabian (15 October 2024). "The mother of Jesus Christ goes on the run in 'Mary' first-look photos". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.