Personal Info
Birth date
1962-05-01 (63 Years)
Gender
Female
Known for
Acting
Place of birth
Bucharest, Romania
Also known as
Maia Morgenstern Istodor
Maia Istodor
Maja Morgenstern
마이아 모건스턴
マヤ・モルゲンステルン
مایا مورگنشترن
Maia Morgenstern
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. Description above from the Wikipedia article Maia Morgenstern, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Filmography
Las Fierbinţi
8.3
Overview:
A rural comedy where the intrigues caused by the upcoming elections in a small village give rise to a ridiculous war between the mayor and deputy mayor. Unfortunately, they have no clue that their struggle will prove to be in vain at the end of the election day.The Passion of the Christ
7.518
Overview:
A graphic portrayal of the last twelve hours of Jesus of Nazareth's life.High Strung
7.061
Overview:
When a hip hop violinist busking in the New York subway encounters a classical dancer on scholarship at the Manhattan Conservatory of the Arts, sparks fly. With the help of a hip hop dance crew they must find a common ground while preparing for a competition that could change their lives forever.The Crucifixion
5.687
Overview:
When a priest is jailed for the murder of a nun on whom he was performing an exorcism, an investigative journalist strives to determine whether he in fact murdered a mentally ill person, or if he lost the battle with a demonic presence.The Bra
5.986
Overview:
Train driver Nurlan’s heading to Baku for the last time before retirement, but on his fateful journey around the neighborhoods of the city his train snags a blue bra off a washing line. To escape from his lonely existence, Nurlan embarks on the most adventurous journey of his life: to find the owner of this perky piece of underwear. He rents a small room in Baku and begins his quest to find his “Cinderella”.What About Love
NYR
Overview:
Two young lovers change the lives of their parents forever when the parents learn from the joyful experience of their kids, and allow themselves to again find their love.Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula
6.052
Overview:
Meet the man behind the legend in this true story of Vlad the Impaler, whose vicious and cruel reputation as a bloodthirsty warlord became the basis for the myth of Dracula.Ulysses' Gaze
7.398
Overview:
An exiled filmmaker finally returns to his home country where former mysteries and afflictions of his early life come back to haunt him once more.Nostradamus
5.728
Overview:
A dramatic retelling of the life of Michel de Nostredame, from his early work as a plague doctor to his time at the court of Catherine de Medici, after he became famed for his prophetic almanacs. Stars Rutger Hauer and Julia Ormond.Kidnapped in Romania
3.143
Overview:
A couple of Italo-American journalists go missing during their work assignment in Romania.The Resurrection of the Christ: Part II
NYR
Overview:
Unconfirmed second part of a potential two-part story.The Goat and Her Three Kids
7.1
Overview:
Secluded from the world, a single mother of three must defend what's left of her family from a cold-blooded killer, at all costs.The New Gospel
6.8
Overview:
What would Jesus preach in the 21st century? Who would his disciples be? And how would today's society respond to the return of the Son of God? With The New Gospel, Milo Rau is staging a "Revolt of Dignity". Led by political activist Yvan Sagnet, the movement is fighting for the rights of migrants who came to Europe across the Mediterranean to be enslaved on the tomato fields in southern Italy and to live in ghettos under inhumane conditions.Eva
6.2
Overview:
Eva meets Tudor on the day of her 16th birthday. It is Tudor who is to make her feel whole as a woman. He becomes for her a source of both love and suffering through his constant mysterious departures and reappearances.Terezín
6.696
Overview:
The story of Antonio, an Italian clarinetist, and Martina, a Czech violinist, who fall in love with each other during the World War II, in Prague.The Oak
6.6
Overview:
A description of Romania before Ceausescu's downfall, through the story of Nela. Daughter of a former colonel of the Securitate, the romanian political police. She refused to become like her sister, an agent of this Securitate, and lives with her father. After he died, she leaves Bucharest, and ends up in a little town, where she meets Mitica, a surgeon, another herself, laughing at everything.The Secret of Bacchus
7.4
Overview:
Victor, an incisive journalist, discovers a series of irregularities in a State farming enterprise. His investigations will unmask the fraud committed by the person in charge of the wine section, called Bachus. Although aided by an impressive number of cronies, Bachus will not be able to hide forever infamous secret.Isha
5
Overview:
Rahmi, a Romanian immigrant living in England, creates a new life for himself while trying to keep up appearances with his Muslim family. This moving, evocative drama costars renowned Romanian actress Maia Morgenstern and Game of Thrones’ Lino Facioli alongside newcomer Hora Savescu as Rahmi.The Big Question
7.1
Overview:
Although it was shot on the set of director Mel Gibson's controversial epic The Passion of the Christ, this thought-provoking documentary is not about the making of the movie. Rather, filmmakers Francesco Cabras and Alberto Molinari delve into the nature of divinity and spiritual beliefs through revealing interviews with Gibson and members of his cast and crew -- including stars Jim Caviezel and Monica Bellucci.Exodus to Shanghai
3.333
Overview:
Exodus to Shanghai tells the story of two lovers who have to escape from Vienna to China after Dr. Ho, the Chinese Consul in Vienna in 1938, issued Exit Visas to many Jews against the instruction of his superiors. Fannia, a New York Jewish Violin student, falls in love with the Consul's nephew Bruce. Together they must leave Vienna as the Gestapo is chasing them to get the Jews and Hitler's painting.Betrayal
6.6
Overview:
After the war, in Bucharest, a young Romanian poet arrested for having written an article denouncing Stalinist crimes, will save his life by accepting to become a hostage of the regime.Far from Here
6.4
Overview:
A young couple struggles to keep their marriage afloat in a foreign country.The Seventh Room
6.5
Overview:
An expressionist biography of Edith Stein, who converted from the Jewish faith to the Catholic one and became a Carmelite sister. She would die in a German concentration camp.Bed of Procust
6.167
Overview:
The poet and journalist Ladima commits suicide and his friend, Fred Vasilescu, tries to find out the reasons of those actions. In his search he discovers a mysterious Miss T.The Goat and Her Three Kids
6.667
Overview:
Secluded from the world, a single mother of three has to defend that what's left of her family, at all cost, from a cold blooded killer. Based on one of the best known Romanian fairy tales (The Goat and Her Three Kids by Ion Creanga), this short film aims to unveil the true nature of the famed bed time story and to treat the audience to a different perspective, one that offers a glimpse at what the tragedy actually looks like beyond the happy songs and colorful characters.Acting
TBAA House in Kosovo as Unknown
TBAFata din Transilvania as Unknown
TBAThe Resurrection of the Christ: Part II as Mary
TBARevival as Araksi Arakelian
TBAHigh Grounds as Stella Petrescu
2024Like Girls as Silvia
2024Rusalka as Unknown
2024What About Love as Sister Martina
2023The Man Without a Lifeline as Unknown
2023Terezín as Unknown
2022The Goat and Her Three Kids as Goat
2022Mihai Viteazul: Prințul intrat în legenda Europei as Unknown
2020The New Gospel as Mother Mary
2020Boys On Film 20: Heaven Can Wait as Mother (segment "Isha")
2019The Bra as Fidan
2019Sacrificiul (54 Episodes) as Eva
2019Isha as Mother
2019Lucania as Argenzia
2019The Goat and Her Three Kids as Capra
2018Fault Condition as Dr. Salid Blumberg
2017The Crucifixion as Dr. Funar
2017Far from Here as Donna
2016High Strung as Markova
2016Kidnapped in Romania as Daniela
2015Exodus to Shanghai as Mrs. Morgenstern
2013Miss Christina as Mrs. Moscu
2013Carmen as Dr. Janos
2012Iubire elenă as Unknown
2012Las Fierbinţi (14 Episodes) as Rapidoaica
2011The End of Silence as Anne
2010In the Name of Honour (76 Episodes) as Marieta Stuttman
2010Eva as Maria
2010The Green Moon as Simona
2009Aniela (59 Episodes) as Maica Irina
2009One second of life as Unknown
2009Black Sea as Madalina
2008My Mother, My Bride And I as Bogdana
2006Mansfeld as Mrs. Mansfeld
2006Margo as Unknown
200515 as Irene
2005L'homme pressé as Bonne de Bois de Rose
2004Orient Express as Amalia Frunzetti
2004Damen tango as Alexandra
2004The Passion of the Christ as Maria
2004The Big Question as Self
2003Fool's Song as Gina
2003Rose's Songs as Olga
2002Bed of Procust as Doamna T
2000Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula as Woman at Fountain
1999The Death Triangle as Regina Maria
1999Față în față as Unknown
1997The Man of the Day as Unknown
1997O zi as Unknown
1997The Witman Boys as Mrs. Witman
1996The Seventh Room as Edith Stein
1995Ulysses' Gaze as Ulysses' Wives
1995Mail life as Mother
1994Nostradamus as Helen
1993Betrayal as Maia Morgenstern
1993The Earth's Most Beloved Son as Matilda
1992The Oak as Nela
1992Casa din vis as Vica
1990Forgotten by God as Unknown
1989Doar amintirile... as Unknown
1989Those Who Pay with Their Lives as Maria Sineşti
1988Maria and the Sea as Maria
1987The Season of Love as Unknown
1984Prea cald pentru luna mai as Dorina
1984Chained Justice as Floraea
1984The Secret of Bacchus as Coca