Odessa A’zion Exits Deep Cuts After Casting Uproar

For a few days in late January 2026, the film world was gripped by a controversy that swept from the depths of social media to the upper echelons of Hollywood. At the heart of the storm was Odessa A’zion, the breakout star of Marty Supreme, and her brief, headline-making involvement in A24’s upcoming adaptation of Holly Brickley’s acclaimed novel Deep Cuts.

It started innocently enough: A24 announced that A’zion would star as Zoe Gutierrez, a central figure in Deep Cuts, with Drew Starkey and Cailee Spaeny rounding out the lead cast under director Sean Durkin. The film promised a heady mix of romance, ambition, and music, set against the backdrop of the 2000s underground scene—a coming-of-age story about two music-obsessed college students whose lives intertwine over a decade. But what should have been a celebratory moment for the studio and its rising star quickly turned into a flashpoint for an industry-wide debate about representation and authenticity.

In Brickley’s 2023 novel, Zoe Gutierrez is written as half-Mexican and half-Jewish, her cultural identity deeply woven into the story’s fabric. Readers lauded the specificity with which Brickley portrayed Zoe’s experience, highlighting how her heritage shaped her sense of belonging and the way she navigated creative spaces that often marginalized or tokenized difference. According to TheWrap, the character’s roots were not just a detail—they were essential to the narrative’s emotional resonance.

So when news broke that Odessa A’zion—a white actress—had been cast as Zoe, criticism was swift and fierce. Social media erupted with accusations of whitewashing, with many arguing that a Latina actress should have been chosen for the role. One viral tweet summed up the sentiment: “Odessa thinks those wash n go curls and tan makes her ambiguous. like you are a white woman so idk why you’re playing a mexican… tried telling y’all about her.” The backlash was not just about one casting decision, but about a broader pattern in Hollywood where characters of color are often recast or rewritten for mainstream appeal, sometimes at the expense of the authenticity that made the source material special in the first place.

Fans and critics alike cited other Latina actresses—Melissa Barrera and Eiza Gonzalez among them—as more appropriate choices. A fan page dedicated to A’zion even paused its activity in protest, stating, “As two Latina admins, we will be pausing this account’s activity until further notice. We’re here to state that we do not agree with this casting, specially given the current political state of the US.” Author Holly Brickley, meanwhile, found herself in the crosshairs as well, reportedly limiting comments on her Instagram after being inundated with calls for the role to be recast. Brickley clarified that she had no involvement in the film’s casting decisions and that the script no longer explicitly referenced Zoe’s ethnicity—a change that only fueled the controversy, with some fans viewing it as an erasure of what made the character unique.

The uproar came at a time when Hollywood has been under increasing scrutiny for its handling of race and representation. As Times Now News pointed out, A’zion’s situation was not unique. Ed Skrein withdrew from the Hellboy reboot in 2017 after being cast as a character of mixed Asian heritage, and Scarlett Johansson stepped away from Rub & Tug in 2018 following criticism over her playing a transgender man. Yet, more often than not, studios have pressed forward with controversial casting choices despite public outcry. In this context, A’zion’s decision to exit Deep Cuts became a rare and highly visible example of an actor responding directly to concerns about authenticity and representation.

The turning point came on January 28, 2026, just 48 hours after her casting was announced. A’zion took to her Instagram Stories, writing, “Guys!! I am with ALL of you and I am NOT doing this movie. Fuck that. I’m OUT.” She didn’t mince words, making it clear that she stood with those who had criticized the casting. In a follow-up, she admitted she hadn’t read the book before accepting the part, explaining, “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???” She continued, “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.”

Her candor struck a chord, both with supporters and critics. Some felt she was taking responsibility and setting an example for other actors, while others argued that the burden shouldn’t have fallen on her alone, pointing instead to the studio, casting directors, and producers. As The Tab noted, “Not everyone is blaming Odessa herself, though. Some people pointed out that casting decisions are ultimately down to agents, directors and studios.” But the damage to the adaptation’s reputation was done, and the conversation had already shifted to what lessons the industry might learn from the debacle.

With A’zion’s exit, the role of Zoe Gutierrez is open once more, and all eyes are on A24 to see if the studio will cast a Latina and/or Jewish actress in her place. The film’s production, originally scheduled to begin in February 2026 under director Sean Durkin and producers Eli Bush, Ronald Bronstein, and Josh Safdie, now faces uncertainty. As Filmogaz pointed out, “The anticipated start of production for 'Deep Cuts' was scheduled for February, but it remains uncertain how A’zion’s exit will affect the filming timeline.”

For many, the saga surrounding Deep Cuts is emblematic of a larger reckoning in Hollywood—one where audiences are demanding not just more diverse stories, but also authentic representation in the telling of those stories. As A24, a studio often praised for championing specificity and authenticity, navigates the fallout, the industry will be watching closely to see whether this moment leads to real change or becomes just another footnote in the long debate over who gets to tell which stories—and how.