Odessa A’zion has dropped her position as Zoe Gutierrez in Sean Durkin’s “Deep Cuts” following on-line backlash over the actor not being Latina.
Earlier this week, The Wrap revealed that the “I Love L.A.” and “Marty Supreme” breakout star was forged as Zoe Gutierrez, a Latina character within the A24 movie adaptation of Holly Brickley’s debut novel.
Set within the 2000s, the story follows two music-obsessed younger adults — Joey Morrow (to be performed by Drew Starkey) and Eileen Percy Marks (Cailee Spaeny) — as they navigate expertise, id and love via the indie music scenes of Brooklyn and San Francisco.
Character Zoe Gutierrez’s id performs an essential position within the ebook, as she is written as a half-Mexican and half-Jewish lesbian.
Many social media customers — together with her fan accounts — took to the online to criticize A’zion for taking over the position, particularly throughout a political local weather when Latino communities are being focused throughout the nation by ICE and Border Patrol.
A fan account underneath the title “Your #1 Odessa A’zion updates fan account” additionally voiced disagreement over the casting, additionally opting to pause exercise on their X profile.
A’Zion cleared the air on her Instagram account late Wednesday.
“I am with ALL you and I am NOT doing this movie,” the 25-year-old shared on her Instagram story. “F— that. I’m OUT.”
In her follow-up posts, A’Zion mentioned she initially auditioned for the position of Percy, however was supplied Zoe as an alternative; she accepted the position. At that second, A’zion had not but learn the ebook and admits she ought to have paid extra consideration to all elements of the character Zoe.
“I’d never take a role from someone else that’s meant to do it,” she added. “There [is] a plentitude of people more capable of playing this role and I am NOT one of them.”
The newest sequence of occasions underscores the prevailing points with Latino illustration in Hollywood.
In accordance with UCLA’s 2025 Hollywood Range Report, which analyzed the highest 104 English-language movies launched theatrically in 2024, Latinos made 1% of the main roles, regardless of comprising roughly 20% of the whole U.S. inhabitants.
Amidst on-line discussions over Latino illustration customers chimed in with offered completely different actors who might have taken on the position as an alternative. This included Mexican and Jewish “Euphoria” actor Alexa Demie, who advised Nathan Fielder in a 2020 podcast for A24 that she practically stop appearing — after shedding out roles to “blond-haired, blue-eyed” actors.
Melissa Barrera’s title additionally circulated across the net as a fan suggestion for the position of Zoe Gutierrez.
Earlier Wednesday, the Mexican actor took to her Instagram tales to talk up about illustration and erasure in Hollywood — underscoring racist practices that might shut out individuals of shade from lead and aspect character roles, however with out immediately referring to A’zion.
“So in 2026 if there are 1000 roles out there for actors and 50 of those are written for Latinos, LATINOS should play them,” Barrera wrote. “Give Latinos the Latino roles!”
A number of actors have beforehand been accused of whitewashing in Hollywood, together with James Franco, who was forged as Fidel Castro within the upcoming movie “Alina of Cuba.” Angelina Jolie confronted pushback for her position because the Egyptian queen within the movie “Cleopatra,” which was finally canceled. Emma Stone, who performed a Chinese language Hawaiian character within the 2015 movie “Aloha,” was additionally criticized for accepting the position.
The A24 movie adaptation of “Deep Cuts” will likely be produced by Eli Bush, Ronald Bronstein and “Marty Supreme” director, Oscar nominee Josh Safdie. Brickley, the ebook’s writer, can be an govt producer.
The Instances reached out to A’zion’s representatives for additional remark.
