Maia Morgenstern Biography: Spouse, Children, Age, Height, Net Worth, Parents, Movies

Maia Emilia Ninel Morgenstern, commonly known as Maia Morgenstern, is a Romanian actress, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest stage and film performers of her generation.

She gained worldwide recognition for her unforgettable portrayal of the Virgin Mary in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ (2004), a role that earned her the Ethnic Multicultural Media Award (EMMA).

A leading figure of the Romanian theatre for over four decades, she has been the artistic director of the Jewish State Theatre in Bucharest since 2012 and has received the European Film Award for Best Actress (for Balanța, 1992) and multiple UNITER lifetime achievement honors.

Profile

• Full Name: Maia Emilia Ninel Morgenstern
• Born: May 1, 1962
• Age: 63 years old
• Birthplace: Bucharest, Romania
• Nationality: Romanian
• Occupation: Film & Stage Actress, Theatre Director
• Height: 1.82 m
• Parents: Usher Morgenstern and Sara Rapaport
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Claudiu Istodor (m. 1983–1999), Dumitru Băltățeanu (m. 2001–2015)
• Children: Tudor Aaron Istodor, Eva Leea Cabiria Istodor, Ana Isadora Istodor
• Relationship: Single
• Net Worth: ~$4.9 million

Early Life and Education

Maia Morgenstern was born on May 1, 1962, in Bucharest, Romania, to Usher Morgenstern, a mathematics professor; and Sara Rapaport, a homemaker. She might have had siblings but details about them are unknown.

She graduated from the I. L. Caragiale National University of Theatre and Film (UNATC) in 1985, where she studied under legendary professors Octavian Cotescu and Dem Rădulescu. From her student years she was already performing at the Jewish State Theatre and the National Theatre Bucharest, quickly establishing herself as one of the most promising talents of her generation.

She is of Jewish ethnicity, though her religion is unknown.

Career

Morgenstern began her professional journey immediately after graduation, becoming a principal actress at the Jewish State Theatre and later at the National Theatre Bucharest. Her breakthrough film role came in Lucian Pintilie’s Balanța (1992), for which she won the European Film Award for Best Actress.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s she starred in over 50 Romanian and international productions, including The Oak (1992), The Man of the Day (1997), and The Passion of the Christ (2004), where her moving portrayal of Mary opposite Jim Caviezel brought her global acclaim and death threats due to the film’s controversial reception.

Since 2012 she has served as artistic director of the Jewish State Theatre in Bucharest, the world’s oldest continuously operating Yiddish-language theatre. She continues to perform on stage in classics by Shakespeare, Chekhov, and Yiddish playwrights, while teaching masterclasses and mentoring young actors.

Recent film appearances include High Strung (2016), What About Love (2024), and the Romanian historical drama I Do Not Forgive (2023), proving her enduring power at 63.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @maiamorgenstern
• Facebook Handle: Unknown
• Twitter Handle: Unknown

Personal Life

Maia Morgenstern was married to actor Claudiu Istodor (1983–1999), with whom she has son Tudor Aaron (also an actor), and later to Dumitru Băltățeanu (2001–2015), with whom she has daughters Eva Leea Cabiria and Ana Isadora.

She lives in Bucharest, remains deeply involved in Jewish cultural life, and is a vocal advocate for Holocaust remembrance and artistic freedom.

Filmography

• Balanța / The Oak (1992) – Nela
• The Man of the Day / Omul zilei (1997) – Laura
• The Passion of the Christ (2004) – Mary
• I Really Hate My Job (2007) – Monica
• The Childhood of Icarus (2009) – mother
• High Strung (2016) – Madame Markova
• What About Love (2024) – Sister Martina
• I Do Not Forgive / Nu iert (2023) – lead role

Net Worth

Maia Morgenstern has an estimated net worth of around $4.9 million. Her wealth comes from decades of leading roles in Romanian theatre and film, international projects (notably The Passion of the Christ), and her long-term position as artistic director of the Jewish State Theatre.