O’Dessa A’zion Drops Out of Sean Durkin’s ‘Deep Cuts’ After “Whitewashing” Backlash

What is going on with the “Marty Supreme” cast? Between Kevin O’Leary, Josh Safdie, Timothée Chalamet, and now Odessa A’zion, it seems like the controversy is never-ending.

A’zion recently found herself at the center of online backlash, this time over her casting in Sean Durkin’s upcoming A24 film, “Deep Cuts.” Based on the novel by Holly Brickley, A’zion was set to play Zoe Gutierrez, a character who is described in the book as a Mexican Jew.

Some users on social media accused the casting of “whitewashing,” arguing that the character should have been played by an actor of a different background. Others pushed back, noting that details about the character’s depiction in the film had not been fully disclosed and that much of the criticism was speculative.

Adding fuel to the fire, fired “Scream” star Melissa Barrera — who has struggled to secure major roles since her dismissal — posted on Instagram about the “need for representation” and the “erasure” of it in Hollywood. Many interpreted the post as a response to A’zion accepting the role in “Deep Cuts,” though Barrera did not name the project or actor directly.

The controversy appears to have escalated to the point where A’zion has now seemingly dropped out of the film. She announced the news, of all places, on her Instagram account, posting a story with the caption: “Guys!! I am with ALL of you and I am NOT doing this movie.”

In Brickley’s original novel, Zoe Gutierrez is described as being “half-Jewish and half-Mexican,” a detail that has become central to the backlash surrounding the casting. Sadly, A’zion is only Jewish.

An honest question remains: where, exactly, are they expected to find a competent half-Jewish, half-Mexican actress who also fits the creative and commercial demands of a studio feature? The entire controversy feels like sheer and utter lunacy — a case where online outrage has once again overtaken nuance, context, and reality.