Mila Harris – Mary

By: Karen Steinberg

Q) Please tell us the premise for the film Mary.

A) Mary is a coming-of-age biblical epic that gives us a look at the origin of Mary’s story before, during and after the birth of Jesus from a perspective that audiences haven’t seen before.  This film gives us a peek at Mary’s early life as a young girl promised to the Lord when she went to live in the temple before being shunned following a miraculous conception. When King Herod ignites a murderous pursuit for her newborn baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph go on the run – bound by faith and driven by courage – to save his life at all costs. Mary finally gets to share what life may have been like for her during these historic and world changing events.

Q) What made you want to portray this iconic character?

A) Mary is the most iconic female in history; everyone knows about her through the miraculous birth of Jesus but there is not much known about her as a young child. I wanted to help tell Mary’s story through what details we do know about her going to the temple as a young child, unsure of her future and having to leave her parents. Mary was a regular kid like me and she just wanted to play with her friends, but Mary also knew she was built for a great purpose. To this day, Mary remains the most revered and powerful female in history no matter your beliefs, so it was a real honor to get to portray that.

Q) How familiar were you with Mary’s story from The Bible before starring in this?

A) Mary is the most famous mother of all time, and rightfully so. That’s the highest honor for her to be known by but most people including myself never really stopped to wonder what her story was before she was a mother. What was Mary like just as a young girl like me? There isn’t much about this period in her life, so we had to make some creative choices based on what facts we do know and the real-life circumstances of the time.  It was truly amazing getting to know Mary throughout this process and I hope the audience enjoys learning more about her along with us!

Q) The movie stars the iconic Anthony Hopkins. Were you able to sneak in some 1:1 time to talk behind the scenes?

A) Yes, absolutely. I loved the moments we were able to share. From the moment you meet Anthony Hopkins, he has a presence that can’t be explained. He is very down to earth and humble and he welcomed me to the project. Just watching him on set, I learned so much and so many times when he would speak the entire set would just get very still and watch him work. I still remember seeing him in the hotel restaurant frequently and he would just come over and give me a big hug and ask how little Mary was doing. He truly is such a special person.

Q) Where did you enjoy shooting the most for the film?

A) We filmed this in a small town near the Sahara Desert called Ouarzazate in Morocco.  It’s about a four-hour drive from Marrakesh through the Atlas Mountains. The landscape and scenery everywhere were beautiful and being isolated really made the cast bond more. I really love traveling and learning about other cultures so getting to experience somewhere completely new and different than the US was amazing! And the people are so friendly!

Q) What were some of your favorite scenes to shoot?

A) We shot one scene on top of this fabulous mountain top, and the view was just breathtaking. I wish more of the scene could have made it to the final cut because the view from that place at dusk is indescribable! It is a very special moment in Mary’s story where she learns about moving into the temple and embraces her destiny, everyone in the cast and director just embraced in tears after we filmed it. One of the unique things about this film is that most of the scenery in the movie is natural and it really is so authentically beautiful!

Q) How did you shake off a long day of being on set?

A) Usually after a long day on set or doing schoolwork. Ugh. [laughs] I would go outside to enjoy the weather and scenery. We shot this when it was winter over in the US, so the warmer climate was nice although it still gets a little chilly at night in the desert. At the hotel we were staying, there were a lot of stray cats that the guests would take care of and feed, so I spent time just playing with them. I was also able to ride one of the production horses through the desert and we drove dune buggies one time, too!  It was so much fun!

Q) The movie Mary has become a Netflix hit! What kind of fan feedback have you been hearing from viewers?

A) Mary has received a huge welcome on Netflix, even hitting #1 in 80 countries around the world and stayed in the Top 10 movies for weeks. I think last time I checked it was over eighty million views worldwide, so we are so blessed to be able to share this story on Netflix. The fans are great, and the feedback is heartwarming. I love hearing from fans and there is nothing better than hearing how this film impacted them!

Q) What are the other projects that you have been busy working on?

A) There is so much that I have been busy working on since filming Mary. In fact, while I was in Morocco, I found out I had booked a film in Northern Ireland and left directly from Morocco to go to film in Belfast. It was a quick change of scenery and is a movie that is the opposite of Mary. It’s a film called World-Breaker with Luke Evans, Milla Jovovich, and Billie Boullet and is more about the end of the world while, as you know, Mary is more about the beginning of the world as we know it. Also, a few months later, I was in Bogota, Columbia for a month filming a new thriller movie called Coyote and was able to work with Justin Long and Kate Bosworth! They are both hilarious and incredible and I got to put my improv skills to work on this one, so it was a lot of fun! I had an amazing 2024 and worked with some greats in the biz and can’t wait for what 2025 has to bring too!

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of the work you do on our screens?

A) A huge THANK YOU. Truly, it’s their support and love that keep me going and stay tuned for more to come! Please connect with me on social as I always love to connect to fans that love watching these stories come to life.