UNMARRIED WITH A BABY ON THE WAY: Pregnant teen 'Nativity' star gets snub from the Vatican

November 26, 2006
BY DAVID CRUMM
FREE PRESS RELIGION WRITER



Mary's pregnant, and it couldn't have come at a worse time. Tongues are wagging and she'll have to be a tough young woman to raise this child.

That's the ancient story -- and the modern one, too.

Keisha Castle-Hughes, the young actress of Maori descent who two years ago received a best-actress Oscar nomination for her role in the New Zealand-based film "Whale Rider," stars as Mary in "The Nativity Story." After the movie was completed, rumors about a possible pregnancy led Castle-Hughes to confirm in early October that she is, as biblical accounts would put it, "with child."

She's 16. The father is 19, a longtime boyfriend she met at school in Australia, where she now lives. They're not splitting up, but they're not immediately marrying, either.

Media outlets across Australia and New Zealand have heavily covered the story. Apparently, Castle-Hughes' family is embarrassed, but they've agreed to support her in her decision to raise her child.

Vatican officials were not as understanding. According to news reports, they are not thrilled to have the issue cloud their enjoyment of the movie. So Castle-Hughes was dropped from the invitation list for the Vatican's world premiere of the movie today.

Many Catholics have criticized the snub by sending letters to the editor and writing e-mails and Weblogs.

Catherine Hardwicke, the movie's director, said in Australian newspapers last week that facing the situation was "very brave" of the actress. "She knew the whole world would be talking about her and gossiping, but she still stood up and said, 'I want to have this child; this is the right thing to do.' "

Source: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006611260660