Odessa A'zion, known for her role in Marty Supreme, has withdrawn from Sean Durkin's upcoming A24 film Deep Cuts following backlash over her casting. The film is an adaptation of Holly Brickley's 2021 novel, which follows two music-obsessed twenty-somethings over a decade.
A'zion was cast as Zoe Gutierrez, a character of Mexican heritage, which the actress does not share. Fans of the book quickly raised concerns, prompting A'zion to announce her exit on Instagram Stories late Wednesday. She stated she was unaware of Zoe's background when she accepted the role.
In her post, A'zion wrote: 'I am with ALL of you, and I am NOT doing this movie. 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.' She added: 'I'd never take a role from someone else that's meant to do it.'
The film stars Drew Starkey and Cailee Spaeny as the lead characters, with A'zion's character being Percy's ex. Deep Cuts is produced by Eli Bush, Ronald Bronstein, and Josh Safdie, with Durkin, Anthony Katagas, Jordan Tappis, and A24 also producing. Brickley serves as an executive producer.
