Odessa A’zion announced she had withdrawn from Sean Durkin’s A24 movie Deep Cuts amid criticism of her casting. Deep Cuts is based on Holly Brickley’s 2021 novel of the same title.
Fans of the book pointed out that Zoe Gutierrez, the character A’zion was supposed to play, is Jewish and of Mexican descent, as revealed in the casting earlier this week. Online enthusiasts claimed that A’zion’s non-Mexican heritage was an intractable distinction.
She articulated her quandary on an Instagram story, stating, “Guys!! I am with ALL of you and I am NOT doing this movie. Thank you, guys, for bringing this to my attention. I AGREE WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU! This is why I love you guys. I’m so sorry that this happened. 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! 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???”
She continued her tirade, “Fuck that. I’m out! 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.”
Deep Cuts is a love narrative set in the 2000s that follows two music-loving youths as they navigate the difficult realities of maturity, ambition, and belonging throughout a decade that defines an age.