Aww. Many news sources are reporting Hasidic Jew-turned-actor Abe Karpen has chosen to leave the production of New York, I Love You because of disapproval from his religious community. Karpen was set to play Natalie Portman’s husband in the Mira Nair-directed segment Kosher Vegetarian, but has chosen to back out of the film mid-production. From NYDailyNews:

First he couldn’t hold Natalie Portman’s hand - and now a Williamsburg Hasidic Jew-turned-actor has to give up his chance to hit it big in a Hollywood movie. Abe Karpen, 25, a married father of three, was cast as Portman’s husband in New York I Love You, a film composed of 12 short stories about love in the five boroughs.

“I am backing out of the movie,” said Karpen, a kitchen cabinet salesman. “It’s not acceptable in my community. It’s a lot of pressure I am getting. They [the rabbis] didn’t like the idea of a Hasidic guy playing in Hollywood. “I have my kids in religious schools and the rabbi called me over yesterday and said in order for me to keep my kids in the school I have to do what they tell me and back out,” Karpen said. While news of Karpen’s withdrawal sent waves of disappointment through the movie set, the Hasidic community was up in arms over Karpen’s acting gig - forcing him to flee for the weekend, a friend said.

“We are very sorry that this has created a problem for him personally and for the community,” said the film’s executive producer, Jan Korbelin. “He’s a great ambassador of his faith and it came out of the left field. … This is the last thing this picture should be doing,” Korbelin said. “This film is about love and understanding between different people and communities.”

Check out our photos from March 12 of Natalie shooting the film in Brooklyn, New York with Karpen.