American actress Odessa A'zion has made the dramatic decision to withdraw from her upcoming role in the A24 romance film Deep Cuts. This move comes after significant online backlash and accusations of "whitewashing" from outraged fans.
Social Media Announcement Sparks Industry Discussion
The 25-year-old star of Marty Supreme took to her Instagram account, which boasts over two million followers, to announce she would no longer be participating in the Sean Durkin-directed project. Her statement was direct and emphatic.
"Guys!! I am with ALL of you, and I am NOT doing this movie," A'zion wrote. "F**k that. I'm out."
Character Background Fuels Casting Controversy
The controversy stems from the character A'zion was cast to play - Zoe Gutierrez. In Holly Brickley's 2025 novel, which serves as the source material for the film, Gutierrez is explicitly written as half-Mexican and half-Jewish. While A'zion, who was born in Los Angeles, does have Jewish heritage, she is not of Mexican descent.
When casting news revealed A'zion would join Cailee Spaeny (as Percy) in the film, devoted readers of the novel immediately took to social media platforms to express their disappointment and anger.
Fan Reactions Highlight Representation Concerns
The online response was swift and passionate, with many fans pointing to what they perceived as a missed opportunity for authentic representation.
One fan commented on X: "Melissa Barrera and Eiza Gonzalez are two actresses who were both born and raised in Mexico. Both have name recognition in their respective genres and both could've used the opportunity to play a MEXICAN woman in this film over white girl Odessa A'Zion."
Another supporter expressed broader concerns: "I can tell you right now there are thousands of beautiful, talented and passionate Mexican actors out there waiting for their big break... to see a white woman steal that opportunity in the current political climate is not only disgusting but also disheartening."
Even a fan page dedicated to A'zion condemned the casting decision, posting on X: "We're here to state that we do not agree with this casting, especially given the current political state of the US. As two latina admins, we will be pausing this account's activity until further notice."
Actress Provides Detailed Explanation
Following her initial announcement, A'zion returned to Instagram to offer a more comprehensive explanation for her decision to leave the project, which was scheduled to begin filming next month.
"Thank you guys for bringing this to my attention. I agree with every single one of you! This is why I love you guys," she wrote. "I'm so so sorry that this happened."
The actress revealed an interesting detail about the casting process: "It is so important for me to let you in on how it all went down: I went in for Percy, but was offered Zoe instead and instantly said yes!"
She expressed regret about her preparation: "I'm so pissed y'all, I hadn't read the book and should have paid more attention to all aspects of Zoe before accepting... and now that I know what I know???"
A'zion concluded with a principled stance: "I'd never take a role from someone else that's meant to do it. That should do it! That's not me. There are a plentitude of people more than capable of playing this role and I am not one of them. I can't wait to see who it ends up being."
Film Background and Previous Casting Changes
Deep Cuts is set in the 2000s and tells the love story of two music-obsessed young people navigating the complex realities of ambition, belonging, and adulthood throughout that defining decade.
This isn't the first casting shakeup for the project. Originally, Austin Butler and Saoirse Ronan were attached to star in the romance film, but both actors dropped out due to scheduling conflicts before production began.
The entertainment industry continues to grapple with questions of authentic representation and appropriate casting, with this incident serving as another prominent example of how fan feedback and social media discourse can influence production decisions in real time.
