October 28, 2025, 5:22 p.mOctober 28, 2025, 5:22 p.m
Actress Kasia Smutniak has been heavily criticized by conservative Catholic circles in her home country of Poland. The reason for this is her role as the Virgin Mary in Mel Gibson’s new film.
Mel Gibson has Smutniak the Entrusted with the role of the mother of Jesus in his new work “The Resurrection” – the sequel to “The Passion of the Christ” (2004).
Filming has already begun and – as with “The Passion of the Christ” – is taking place in Italy, including in the Roman film studios Cinecittà, in Matera and in Apulia. This is also why Gibson hired several Italian actors: Riccardo Scamarcio takes on the role of Pontius Pilate, while the Polish-Italian actress Smutniak, who has made almost her entire career in Italy, was chosen for Maria. However, this decision is met with strong opposition from Poland’s Catholic traditionalists.
Kasia Smutniak at a film festival in Rome.Image: keystone
The trigger was an article on the website “PolskiiRadi.pl” in which it says:
“It is no secret that Smutniak publicly supports the right to abortion and has repeatedly criticized Polish legislation as a threat to women’s rights.”
Holy figure and the right to abortion
Conservative media in Poland see this as an incompatible attitude with the depiction of a holy figure such as the Virgin Mary. Even the national conservative PiS party is said to have intervened and sent the film production a letter of protest.
Abortion is generally allowed in Poland the law is one of the most restrictive in Europe: Abortion is only permitted if the woman’s life or health is at risk, or if the pregnancy is the result of rape.
46-year-old Kasia Smutniak began her career as a model before moving into film in Italy. She had her breakthrough as an actress with the film “Radio West” (2003). Today she is one of the most famous actresses in Italian cinema and is often present at festivals in Venice and Rome, for example. (rbu/sda/apa)