Odessa A’zion Exits A24’s ‘Deep Cuts’ Movie Adaptation After Casting Backlash: “I Hadn’t Read The Book”

Odessa A’zion said Wednesday in a series of Instagram posts that she has dropped out of Sean Durkin’s A24 film Deep Cuts following online backlash surrounding her casting. 

Deep Cuts is an adaptation of Holly Brickley’s 2021 novel of the same name. After A’zion’s casting was announced earlier this week, fans of the book noted that the character of Zoe Gutierrez, which A’zion was set to portray, was of Mexican heritage and Jewish. A’zion is not Mexican, which fans online argued was an irreconcilable difference. 

Posting on her Instagram stories, A’zion said she agreed with the criticism and had not been fully aware of the character’s identity before accepting the role. 

“Guys!! I am with ALL of you and I am NOT doing this movie,” A’zion posted. 

“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???”

A’zion added: “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.”

Set in the 2000s, Deep Cuts is a love story about two music-obsessed twentysomethings navigating the messy realities of ambition, belonging, and adulthood over the course of an era-defining decade.

Civil War star Cailee Spaeny and Queer star Drew Starkey lead the film. The adaptation was initially set up with Saoirse Ronan and Austin Butler, but following scheduling conflicts, both stars dropped out. 

Eli Bush, Ronald Bronstein, and Josh Safdie are producing alongside Durkin, Anthony Katagas, Jordan Tappis, and A24. Brickley serves as an executive producer.