Some excellent casting news here as the young star of Niki Caro‘s Whale Rider, Keisha Castle-Hughes, has just been cast as the lead in New Line Cinema’s Nativity.
Castle-Hughes will portray Mary over the two-year period leading up to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.
Lords of Dogtown helmer Catherine Hardwicke will direct the pic using a script from screenwriter Mike Rich.
Filming on Nativity is set to begin in May in Italy and Morrocco with hopes of a release during the first weekend of December 2006.
