Maia Emilia Ninel Morgenstern (; born 1 May 1962) is a Romanian film and stage actress. Gabriela Dumba, Pur și SIMPLU, Maia Morgenstern , ("Pure and simple, Maia Morgenstern", but with a pun, because Simplu is a Romanian musical group with whom she had done a video), Gardianul, 23 December 2006. Accessed online 20 December 2007. Internationally, she is best known for portraying the Blessed Virgin Mary in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. In Romania, she has been nationally known since her role as Nela in the 1992 film Balanța, 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."Maia Morgenstern received a star on Walk of Fame, for her birthday", Adevărul.ro In 2007, she was described by Florin Mitu of AMOS News as "a symbol of Romanian theater and film". Florin Mitu, , AMOS News, 17 November 2007. He addresses her, "Sunteți un simbol al teatrului și filmului românesc…". Accessed online 20 December 2007.
Biography Born in Bucharest, Romania, to a Jewish family, she attended the Zoia Kosmodemianskaia High School in her native city, and graduated from the Film and Theatre Academy of Bucharest in 1985. Her father was a Bessarabian Jew. She then played at Teatrul Tineretului (Youth Theatre) in Piatra Neamț until 1988, and at the Teatrul Evreiesc de Stat (State Jewish Theatre) 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. Florin Mitu, , AMOS News, 17 November 2007. Accessed online 20 December 2007. She continues to act at the Jewish State Theatre, other Bucharest theatres and theatres elsewhere in Romania. Among her notable stage roles in recent years, is a Romanian-language production of The Blue Angel (Îngerul Albastru in Romanian) at Bucharest's Odeon Theatre. In 2001 - 2002 she played, to great critical acclaim, Lola Lola, the character made famous by Marlene Dietrich. At the same time, she also played the role of Kathleen Hogan in a Romanian-language production of Israel Horovitz's Park Your Car in Harvard Yard at the State Jewish Theatre.
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.The Passion of the Christ: About the Language , CinemaReview.com. Accessed online 20 December 2007. She reported that she felt really proud to portray the Virgin Mary.
Her surname, Morgenstern, means "Morning Star" in German, is 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.Marco R. della Cava, J.C., 'morning star' and Mel Gibson, USA Today, posted 2/22/2004 9:39 PM, updated 2/23/2004 11:21 AM; retrieved 1 March 2005. In interviews, she has defended The Passion of the Christ against allegations of antisemitism,'Passion' actress: Film not anti-Semitic , CNN, 4 February 2004. Accessed 20 December 2007. 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."Naomi Pfefferman, Jewish Actress Proud to be Mel Gibson’s Virgin Mary , The Jewish Journal, 1 November 2003. Reproduced on the New American Media site, a site focusing on ethnic journalism. Accessed online 20 December 2007.
On 29 March 2021, a Romanian man was arrested after Morgenstern received an email stating "I intend to throw her in the gas chamber".
Personal life She has been married twice, first to Claudiu Istodor (1983–1999), and then to Dumitru Băltățeanu (2001–2015). She has three children, one of them being actor Tudor Aaron. Evelyn Badea, Maia Morgenstern, femeia care ştie să aibă succes în toate , Adevărul, 20 October 2007, Accessed online 20 December 2007.
Awards, recognition She has won several major awards as an actress: Best Actress for: Cei care platesc cu viața ("Those who pay with their lives", 1991), Romanian Filmmakers Union UNITER (Romanian Theatrical Union) Lucia Sturdza Bulandra Prize (1990) for her stage role as Medea in Trilogia antică (Ancient Trilogy), directed by Andrei Șerban. Best Actress for: Balanța (1992), European Film AwardsAwards for Balanta (1992), IMDB. Accessed 20 December 2007. Best Actress for: Balanța (1992), Cinéma Tout Ecran (Geneva Film Festival) Best Actress for: Balanța (1992), Romanian Filmmakers Union UNITER best actress award (1993), for her role in Ghetto at the Romanian National Theatre. UNITER (1995) award for her performance in the stage production of Lola Blau. Best Film Actress for: The Passion of the Christ (2004), Ethnic Multicultural Media Awards (EMMA Awards), UKEthnic Multicultural Media Awards, UK: 2004, IMDB. Accessed 20 December 2007.
Filmography Where translations of titles are italicized, it indicates use of the translated title for the film in English-language release. Hoppers2026Insect Queen Romanian dubbingWednesday2025Hester Frump Romanian dubbingWhat About Love2024Sister MartinaEnglish, SpanishSacrificiul2019–2020Eva Oprea/ Eva Ioanid RomanianCapra cu trei iezi2022CapraRomanianThe New Gospel2020 Mother Mary GermanFructul oprit (TV series)2019Mgda PopaRomanianHigh Strung2016Madame MarkovaEnglish#Selfie692016Femeie BilaRomanianMiss Christina2013Mrs. MoscuRomanianThe Secret of Polichinelle2013MayaRomanianFata din Transilvania2011Romanian La fin du silence2011the motherFrench Sânge Tânăr, Munți și Brazi2011MamaRomanian dramaLuna verde2010SimonaRomanian Iubire și onoare (TV series)2010–2011MarietaRomanianAniela (TV series)2009–2010Maica StareţaRomanianEva2009 MariaEnglishThe House of Terror2008Eszter SomosEnglish Black Sea2008Madalina ItalianThe Fence2007Herman's motherEnglishMansfeld2006Mrs. MansfeldHungarian / English / Russian / GermanMargo2006Margo's stepmotherRomanianVisuri otrăvite ("Poisoned Dreams")2006Ada's motherRomanian152005IreneRomanian / FrenchL'Homme pressé2005, TVBonne de Bois de RoseFrenchOrient Express2004Amalia FrunzettiRomanianDamen tango2004 RomanianThe Passion of the Christ2004MaryAramaicCăsătorie imposibilă ("Impossible marriage")2004, TV series RomanianBolondok éneke (Fool's Song)2003GinaHungarian / French / RomanianA Rózsa énekei (Rose's Songs)2003OlgaHungarianPatul lui Procust (Procust's Bed)Based on Camil Petrescu's novel Patul lui Procust2001Doamna T.RomanianDark Prince: The True Story of Dracula2000, TVwoman at the fountainEnglishMarie, Nonna, la vierge et moi2000NonnaFrenchKínai védelem (Chinese Defense)1999 HungarianFață în față (Face to Face)1999 RomanianTriunghiul morții ("Triangle of Death")1999Regina MariaRomanianAz Álombánya1998, TV, short HungarianWitman fiúk (Witman Boys)1997Mrs. WitmanHungarianOmul zilei (The Man of the Day)1997 RomanianUlysses' Gaze (original Greek title: Το Βλέμμα του Οδυσσέα, To Vlemma tou Odyssea)1995playing opposite Harvey Keitel as Ulysses' wifeEnglish / GreekThe Seventh Chamber1995Edith Stein (the starring role)HungarianNostradamus1994HelenEnglishTrahir (Betrayal, Romanian title: A trada)1993woman in prisonFrench / RomanianCasa din vis ("The House from the Dream")1993 RomanianCel mai iubit dintre pămînteni (The Earth's Most Beloved Son)based on Marin Preda's novel Cel mai iubit dintre pământeni1993 RomanianBalanța (The Oak)1992Nela (the starring role)RomanianRămînerea (Forgotten by God)1992 RomanianBăiatul cu o singură bretea, also known as Flăcăul cu o singura bretea("The Boy with a Single Brace")1991 RomanianCei care plătesc cu viața(Those Who Pay with Their Lives)1991 RomanianPasaj1990 RomanianMarea sfidare ("The great defiance")1989 RomanianMaria și marea ("Maria and the Sea")1988MariaRomanianAnotimpul iubirii (The Season of Love)1986 RomanianSecretul lui Bachus(The Secret of Bacchus)1984the girl in the restaurant(as Maia Morgenstern Istodor)RomanianDreptate în lanțuri (Chained Justice)1983 RomanianPrea cald pentru luna mai("Too hot for the month of May")1983 Romanian
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