Hollywood hit by fresh whitewashing scandal: Marty Supreme star Odessa A’zion reveals she’s dropped out of Deep Cuts adaptation after facing backlash for being cast as a character with Mexican heritage

by

Hollywood is facing criticism again for a potential lack of diversity in casting. Odessa A’zion, the star of “Marty Supreme,” announced she’s leaving a role following public upset about her being cast.

The 25-year-old actress was originally going to star in the movie adaptation of Holly Brickley’s book, Deep Cuts. However, she announced on Instagram Thursday that she’s no longer involved with the project, only two days after it was revealed she’d been cast.

The choice of Odessa for the role of Zoe Gutierrez caused criticism because the character is Mexican and Jewish in the original story.

The actress explained she would never have taken a role that belonged to someone else, and emphasized that many other capable actors could have played the part.

This film joins a growing list that fans have criticized for whitewashing, following recent complaints about the casting of Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff in Emerald Fennell’s ‘Wuthering Heights,’ a character who is meant to be racially ambiguous.

Odessa was cast to appear alongside Drew Starkey and Cailee Spaeny in “Deep Cuts,” a movie set in the 2000s. The film follows two people in their twenties who are passionate about music as they navigate life, love, and their dreams. Cailee Spaeny will play a music critic named Percy, while Drew Starkey will play a songwriter and Percy’s love interest.

Odessa, known for her BAFTA-nominated performance in Marty Supreme, announced on Instagram that she was leaving the film, stating she stood with her followers and wouldn’t participate any longer.

Thanks everyone for letting me know about this. I completely agree with all of you, and I really appreciate your support. I’m very sorry this occurred.

I need to explain what happened: I was hoping to get Percy, but they offered me Zoe instead, and I immediately agreed! I’m really upset, though, because I hadn’t read the book and didn’t fully understand what I was getting into with Zoe…and now that I do, I’m regretting my decision.

I would never try to take a job away from someone who deserves it. I’m confident someone else will be perfect for the role, and it’s definitely not a good fit for me. There are plenty of other talented people who could do it, and I’m excited to see who gets the opportunity.

I was incredibly enthusiastic and immediately agreed because I really loved the story and wanted to be involved. I was also thrilled to collaborate with the team! However, that experience was terrible, and I would never repeat it.

I’ve been really swamped with work, and I kept meaning to find time to reread something. I wish I’d done it earlier – I would have remembered her name then.

That’s everything from the script that I completed. And thank you all so much for the heads-up!

I haven’t read the book yet, but the script centers around Percy and Joe, which was my primary focus when I first read it. I was excited about working on the project in a new capacity, but after learning more about Zoe’s character, I realized I can’t continue.

‘I love you guysss sleep tight.’

Daily Mail has contacted a representative for A24 for comment. 

Sean Durkin, the director of films like The Iron Claw and The Nest, will direct Deep Cuts. He also wrote the script and will produce the film alongside Eli Bush, Ronald Bronstein, and Josh Safdie.

Because the initial choice of Odessa for the role had already received criticism, many people responded to her decision to leave the project.

They wrote on X: ”’I am with all of you” yet accepted the role in the first place;

‘It’s funny how she sais ‘I’m with all of you’ but she already accepted the role lol;

‘She shouldn’t have agreed to it if she wasn’t gonna do it.’ 

Many people applauded her decision, saying it was a true example of support. They appreciated that she didn’t just make a public statement, but took immediate action by resigning, and commended her for prioritizing her beliefs even at the risk of her career.

‘Respect her for listening, taking a stand, and stepping away. That’s not an easy decision;

This needs to be a turning point in Hollywood – actors should avoid roles that don’t fit them. That’s a big reason why I’m skipping the Marvel ‘Wonder Man’ series.

Odessa is currently appearing in the HBO series I Love LA. She’s also worked with Timothée Chalamet in Marty Supreme, and has had roles in The Inhabitant and Until Dawn.

This isn’t the first time a Hollywood movie has been criticized for casting white actors in roles originally meant for people of color. A well-known example is Scarlett Johansson playing Major Motoko Kusanagi in ‘Ghost in the Shell,’ a character who is usually portrayed as Japanese.

In 2017, Ed Skrein left the reboot of Hellboy after learning his character, Major Ben Daimio, was originally written as Asian.

Emma Stone faced backlash for her role in the 2015 film Aloha, as her character was intended to be a mix of Chinese and Hawaiian ancestry.

The latest film version of Wuthering Heights is facing criticism online for casting white actors, Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, in the roles.

In Emily Bronte’s novel, Catherine is a young girl, and Heathcliff is portrayed as having dark skin, with his racial background left somewhat unclear.

The casting choices for the adaptation have received significant criticism online. One user expressed their frustration, stating that removing diversity from the story of Wuthering Heights in favor of a predominantly white, romanticized portrayal is deeply upsetting.

Someone else expressed their frustration with Wuthering Heights, stating they’ll continue to be bothered by the decision to cast a white actor as Heathcliff.

Someone else added, ‘I might be overreacting, but this movie has genuinely made me angry, and I’m not even kidding!’

It’s important to remember that Heathcliff isn’t portrayed as white – this is a key idea in the novel. Catherine is depicted as being, at most, a young teenager, and ‘Wuthering Heights’ isn’t the kind of overly-sensational romance some people are presenting it as online.

One person commented on the age difference, noting that Margot Robbie, who is 40, played a character who was only 18, drawing a comparison to her role in the 1996 film Evita.

One person reacted strongly to the planned ‘Wuthering Heights’ adaptation, calling for it to be cancelled. They criticized the casting choices – Margot Robbie, 35, and Jacob Elordi – and the creative direction, describing it as an overly sexual drama directed by Emerald Fennell with a soundtrack by Charli XCX.

Read More

2026-01-29 13:07