Birth Name: Maia Morgenstern
Birth Date: 1962-05-01
Birth Place: Bucharest, Romania, Romania
Details
Alternate Names: Maia Morgenstern Istodor, Maia Istodor, Maja Morgenstern, 마이아 모건스턴, マヤ・モルゲンステルン, مایا مورگنشترن
Physical Characteristics: N/A
Career
First Appearances: - The Secret of Bacchus (1984) as Coca
Most Important Roles: - The Passion of the Christ (2004) as Maria
- Ulysses' Gaze (1995) as Ulysses' Wives
- Damen tango (2004) as Alexandra
- Betrayal (1993) as Maia Morgenstern
- Kidnapped in Romania (2016) as Daniela
- My Mother, My Bride And I (2008) as Bogdana
- The Oak (1992) as Nela
- Eva (2010) as Maria
- The Big Question (2004) as Self
- 15 (2005) as Irene
Career Highlights: - The Passion of the Christ (2004)
- Ulysses' Gaze (1995)
- Damen tango (2004)
- Betrayal (1993)
- Kidnapped in Romania (2016)
- My Mother, My Bride And I (2008)
- The Oak (1992)
- Eva (2010)
- The Big Question (2004)
- 15 (2005)
Awards
Awards: - Won European Film Award - European Actress of the Year (1993)
- Won Festival Award - Best Actress (1992)
- Won Romanian Union of Filmmakers Award - Best Actress (Premiul pentru rol cu participare extraordinara) (1993)
- Won Romanian Union of Filmmakers Award - Best Actress (Premiul pentru rol cu participare extraordinara) (1992)
- Won Elvira Notari Prize - Special Mention (1995)
- Won EMMA - Best Film Actress (2004)
- Won Festival Award - Best Female Supporting Actress (2016)
- Nominated for 1 Monica Vitti Award - Best Actress (2017)
- Won Festival Prize - Medium Length Film (2016)
Full Biography
A Romanian film and stage actress, described by Florin Mitu of AMOS News as "a symbol of Romanian theater and film". In the English-speaking world, she is probably best known for the role of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. In Romania, she has been nationally known since her 1992 role as Nela in Balanţa, a film known in the United States as The Oak, set during the waning days of Communist Romania.
Maia Morgenstern
