The ‘Mary Magdalene’ Trailer Seems Sure To Invite Whitewashing Complaints

The international trailer for Garth Davis’ Mary Magdalene appeared online today. The biblical story features Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix as Mary Magdalene and Jesus, respectively. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Tahar Rahim co-star apostles Peter and Judas. The film reunites Mara with Davis with whom she worked on Lion. Mary Magdalene was supposed to be released this year by The Weinstein Company but, well, you know.

After Mara met with serious backlash following her portrayal of Tiger Lily in Joe Wright’s Pan in 2015, she told The Telegraph in early 2016 that she didn’t want to relive that experience.

“I really hate, hate, hate that I am on that side of the whitewashing conversation. I really do. I don’t ever want to be on that side of it again. I can understand why people were upset and frustrated.”

Mara maintains that director Joe Wright’s intentions were “genuine” and insists she loved being part of the production.

Still, she says, “Do I think all of the four main people in the film should have been white with blonde hair and blue eyes No. I think there should have been some diversity somewhere.”

Early responses online indicate she will be back firmly right at the center of the exact same conversation. Is it possible she forgot this conversation ever took place just last year Actually, that’s possible; 2016 feels like a really long time ago to us, too.

Mary Magdalene will be released next year around Easter, but in the meantime, we’ll always have this photo.

— kendall little (@kendall_l) November 29, 2017