A24's 'Mother Mary' Sparks Controversy Over Uncredited Inspiration from Electropop Duo MOTHERMARY A24’s psychological thriller Mother Mary, starring Anne Hathaway as a fictional pop star entangled in a complex relationship with her former costume designer, has ignited a debate over its potential uncredited inspiration from the electropop duo MOTHERMARY. The film, directed by David Lowery, premiered in U.S. theaters last weekend and has drawn mixed reviews. While Hathaway’s character is depicted as a pop icon drawing from religious imagery and pop culture figures like Madonna and Lady Gaga, critics and members of the real-life MOTHERMARY duo argue the film’s concept may have been lifted without acknowledgment. The real-life MOTHERMARY, an electropop band formed by twin sisters Elyse and Larena Winn, have expressed frustration over what they describe as intellectual property theft. The sisters, former Mormons who left their faith after experiencing trauma, have been vocal about their connection to the band’s name and its cultural significance. They revealed that the duo’s music, which centers on religious iconography and queer identity, was born from their struggle to reconcile their past with their present. The film’s use of their name and imagery, they claim, feels like a co-opting of their deeply personal journey. The Winns explained that forming MOTHERMARY was a way to process their trauma from the Mormon church, which they described as a system of control that imposed rigid expectations on women. They emphasized that the band’s name was a deliberate choice rooted in their anger and desire to reclaim the narrative around Mary, a figure central to their former faith. “Mother Mary is like the ultimate example of impossible expectations that women were supposed to be,” Larena Winn said. “She didn’t choose her life at all.#a24 #mothermary #elyse_winn #larena_winn #mother_mary
