Odessa A'zion exits A24's Deep Cuts after learning her character is half Mexican

MovieWeb reported Jan. 29, 2026, that Odessa A'zion, 25, has exited A24's film Deep Cuts after backlash over her casting. The project is based on Holly Brickley’s novel and, according to the logline, follows two "music-loving twentysomethings" who face "love, ambition, and growing up during the 2000s, a decade that changed everything." A'zion stepped down after realizing her character Zoe — whose last name was Gutierrez in the book — was meant to be of half Mexican descent.

On her Instagram Stories she wrote, "Guys!! I am with ALL of you and I am NOT doing this movie. F--- that. I’m OUT." She later added, "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." A'zion said she originally auditioned for Percy but was offered Zoe and "instantly said yes" without having read the book first. Initially Austin Butler and Saoirse Ronan were in talks to play the leads but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.

A24 has since cast Cailee Spaeny, 27, as Percy, opposite Drew Starkey, 32, as her songwriter love interest. Author Holly Brickley told Sweety High she wanted to explore envy within a love story and said the film deal happened "in tandem" with her book publication; she is an executive producer and Sean Durkin is writing his own script.

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