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Rich on the set in Italy with producer Wyck Godfrey

If you had screwed up the real-life stories in Radio or The Rookie, few would notice. But this is a story you can't screw up. Tell me about the weight of responsibility you must have felt in writing this?

Rich: A lot of people have asked me, "Were you nervous?" Sure. If you're sitting down to write on this subject and you do not feel that responsibility, then you're the wrong writer for the project.

I felt it even during that long period of research. I was concerned that when I finally sat down to write the script, because of the limited source material, the majority of scenes would have to be speculative in nature. The easiest thing to do is not write the screenplay. But I guess there came a point where I felt this conviction in my heart to use that trepidation to my benefit—and just honor the spirit and tone of those two Gospels [Matthew and Luke] … and pray that the words that I put down on paper are to the glory of God.

Let's talk about how you developed the characters of Joseph and Mary. Before you did your research, how much did you know about Joseph?

Rich: Very limited. About all I knew of Joseph was the word that Matthew used to describe him: Righteous. And again, if you talk to a dozen theologians about Joseph, you get a dozen different stories—whether he's 30 years old, whether he's 90 years old, whether he was a widower. The bottom line is it's all speculative, because there is just no historical reference for Joseph.

To me, the key moment for Joseph is when Mary returns from Elizabeth's and she is pregnant—and he realizes that he is not the father. The conflict he must have felt at that particular moment, that was the fascinating backbone of his character, as to the faith he had to exhibit and the choices he had to make. Scripture says he considered divorcing her quietly, but he didn't do that. He chose to stay with her. To me, that suggests a man of honor. So many individuals would have protected their own reputation, but Joseph didn't do that. That's why I think Joseph is one of the true unsung heroes.

He could have had her stoned, right?

Rich: Yes. That absolutely would have been within his rights because they were betrothed to be married, and that was viewed with the same sanctity as marriage. So the conflict for him was very clear. If he accuses her of this, he risks putting her to death. If he doesn't accuse her, then he's basically lying. And for a righteous man such as Joseph, it was a dilemma like none other he'd faced.

Oscar Isaac as Joseph, a 'righteous' man

Other movies have portrayed Joseph as a bit character in the background. But in this movie, he's essentially the co-lead. Was that a decision you made from the start?

Rich: His character evolved. Whereas I had a really firm handle on how to pursue Mary's character, Joseph's character just came to life as the script was being written. I didn't want it to be a love story, per se. I wanted it to be about two individuals who place their hope in God and exhibit remarkable, heroic faith. It's one of the reasons I went out of my way not to really have them touch each other; that doesn't happen in the movie until quite late. We didn't want a stereotypical telling of the story. We wanted to make sure that we portrayed, not just Joseph but the shepherds, the wise men, all of these individuals, we wanted to show that there were no bit parts, that this was all part of the grand design.

What are your observations of how Mary has been portrayed in other films, and how did that affect your own portrayal?

Rich: Very early on, I decided I didn't want to see this character introduced as an adult, which is what she typically is in movies. But most theologians concur that Mary was 14, 15, maybe 16 when this happened.

The way Mary is portrayed in culture today, she's this iconic image. But before she was this iconic image, she was a woman, and before that she was a young woman, and before that she was a girl. So to explore this character, who is this majestic figure now, as a very human young woman was so compelling and so intriguing—to see her actually playing and interacting with her friends.

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We went to Italy to visit the set of The Nativity Story, a New Line Cinema film coming to theaters this Christmas. Here's a behind-the-scenes peek at the making of the movie.