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Not a Virgin Birth for Nativity Story Teen Actress
3-Dec-2006
Written by: Jeannine Coppola
Keisha Castle-Hughes critized for pregnancy after portraying the Virgin Mary.
The New Zealand Herald reports that 16-year old actress, Keisha Castle-Hughes, the star of The Nativity Story, has received backlash from movie critics and audience members for portraying the Virgin Mary while being pregnant.
Director Catherine Hardwicke, who learned Castle-Hughes was three months pregnant while she was still editing the film, draws similarities between the actress' situation and that of the real nativity story, explaining, "Her mom also just had a baby who's about two months old, so the baby will have an uncle who's only a couple of months older - just like John the Baptist was to Jesus. And Keisha's boyfriend is in construction, so he's a carpenter too. The whole thing's pretty wild. So they'll all be in the house together, with Keisha's four younger siblings. The family home has a very creative environment with easels and paintbrushes and toys." However, this analogy was not enough to please movie-goers.
Castle-Hughes, who was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in Whale Rider, was absent from a special premiere of The Nativity Story, spawning rumors that the Vatican was displeased with Castle-Hughes' pregnancy. Still, Hardwicke insists, "The Vatican knew of Keisha's pregnancy from the start. And they know she's not married, that she's an actress playing Mary. Besides, I guess she got two out of three right - that she didn't use birth control and she kept the baby."
Originally, Hardwicke almost changed her mind about having Castle-Hughes play the role of Mary due to the actress' thick New Zealand accent. After giving her a vocal coach, she was confident the actress could pull off a light Israeli accent. Of Castle-Hughes' pregnancy, the director concludes, "Keisha's baby is going to come into an atmosphere of love. Who knows what incredible person that child could turn out to be? If anything, all Judaism and Christian philosophy is against judgement of others, so I think the Christian community will be embracing and positive."
Meanwhile, reviews for The Nativity Story have been less than flattering, with USA Today stating, "The Nativity Story comes across more like a tedious morning in Sunday school than a compelling biblical account," among others.
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