Film · 2006
The Nativity Story
Catherine Hardwicke's film tells the Christmas story from Zechariah and the angel to the flight into Egypt, with Keisha Castle-Hughes as Mary and Oscar Isaac as Joseph. It weaves Matthew and Luke together and fills the gaps with scenes from apocryphal tradition and its own imagination.
Facts
About The Nativity Story
- Directed by Catherine Hardwicke; produced by New Line Cinema for $35 million.12
- Keisha Castle-Hughes plays Mary and Oscar Isaac plays Joseph.13
- Its premiere was set for November 26, 2006, in the Vatican's hall for papal audiences, with about 7,000 guests expected.2
- Parts were filmed in Matera, Italy, where The Passion of the Christ was also shot.2
- Runtime 1 hour 40 minutes.3
- Oscar Isaac later voiced Jesus in the animated film The King of Kings (2025).14
At a glance
| Type | Film |
|---|---|
| Year | 2006 |
| Directed by | Catherine Hardwicke |
| Studio | New Line Cinema |
| Running time | 1 h 40 min |
Where to watch in the US
Scenes
The Bible behind the scenes
For each scene: what the production shows, the Bible passages it is based on and what it adds to the Gospels. Each reference links to the chapter in the New American Bible, Revised Edition.
Compare scenes withThe ChosenJesus of NazarethThe PassionSon of God
| Scene | What the film shows | Bible | What the film adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zechariah and the angel | Shown Zechariah is told by an angel's voice that Elizabeth will bear a son.15 | Lk 1:5–25 | – |
| The Annunciation to Mary Compare the Gospels → | Shown Gabriel (Alexander Siddig) brings Mary the news in a grove.15 | Lk 1:26–38 | – |
| The birth of Jesus Compare the Gospels → | Shown Mary and Joseph make the hard journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where Jesus is born.15 | Lk 2:1–7 | The film adds incidents on the road, such as a snake during a river crossing; Luke covers the journey in two verses (Lk 2:4–5). |
| The shepherds Compare the Gospels → | Shown Shepherds come to the newborn child.15 | Lk 2:8–20 | – |
| The magi from the east Compare the Gospels → | Shown Three magi follow the star with their gifts; one brings myrrh “for his sacrifice.”15 | Mt 2:1–12 | Matthew gives no number of magi and does not explain the star; the film makes it a rare meeting of Venus, Jupiter and a third heavenly body. |
| Flight to Egypt and the massacre of the infants Compare the Gospels → | Shown Herod (Ciarán Hinds) plots to kill the boys of Bethlehem, and the holy family flees to Egypt.15 | Mt 2:13–18 | – |
Bible Behind the Screen is independent and not affiliated with the makers or the distributors of this production. We describe it in our own words and show no clips, stills, posters or photos of actors.
Sources
- Catholic Exchange, Timothy Wheeler: review of The Nativity Story, December 1, 2006 (checked on October 21, 2026)
- Catholic News Agency: Vatican set to host premiere of Nativity film, November 9, 2006 (checked on October 21, 2026)
- Apple TV: The Nativity Story (checked on October 21, 2026)
- OSV News, John Mulderig: Movie review: The King of Kings, April 22, 2025 (via Catholic Review) (checked on October 21, 2026)
- New American Bible, Revised Edition (USCCB): Bible references (checked on October 21, 2026)
Bible references follow the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE), the Catholic Bible translation of the U.S. bishops. We give the references and sum up the passages in our own words; each reference links to the full text on the bishops' website. Found a mistake? Write to us at hello@biblebehindthescreen.com.
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