Vegan Couple Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix Play Jesus and Mary in New Film

New film Mary Magdalene will hit theaters nationwide on April 12. The film stars Rooney Mara (who plays the title character) and Joaquin Phoenix (who portrays Jesus Christ), a vegan couple who have been dating since 2017. While it was filmed in 2016 and screened in select venues, the film’s anticipated release was delayed due to the collapse of its distributor, The Harvey Weinstein Company. The plot revolves around Mary Magdalene and tells the story of Jesus Christ and his followers through her eyes, a tale that cruxes on fostering compassion—an ideology both Phoenix and Mara practice in their lives off-screen. Phoenix has been an outspoken vegan advocate for decades, most recently lending his voice to narrate animal-rights documentary Dominion, a film that also features Mara. Last year, Mara launched vegan clothing brand Hiraeth Collective to continue her advocacy for animal-free materials in the fashion industry.