Natalie Portman's latest movie co-star has been forced to walk away from his acting big break, because of a religious row.

Hasidic Jew Abe Karpen, 25, was cast alongside Portman in New York I Love You, currently being shot in Manhattan.

The pair were snapped together on set last week, prompting uproar from Karpen's strict religious community in the city's Brooklyn borough.

The married father of three was warned his kids would be kicked out of their religious school if he didn't quit the film.

Karpen tells the New York Daily News, "I am backing out of the movie. It's not acceptable in my community. It's a lot of pressure I am getting. They (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."