Odessa Azion Exits A24s Deep Cuts Over Casting Controversy

Odessa Azion, a rising actress known for her roles in recent projects like "Marty Supreme" and the HBO series "I Love LA," announced on Wednesday night that she is withdrawing from the A24 film "Deep Cuts" amid online criticism over her casting in the adaptation of Holly Brickley's 2023 novel.

The decision came just two days after reports emerged of Azion's involvement in the project, directed by Sean Durkin, whose previous films include "The Iron Claw" and "The Nest." Azion, who had been set to portray Zoe Gutierrez, a character described in the book as half Mexican and half Jewish, addressed the backlash directly in a series of Instagram Stories. "Guys!! I am with ALL of you and I am NOT doing this movie," she wrote. "Fuck that. I'm OUT."

In further posts, Azion explained the circumstances leading to her initial acceptance. She revealed that she had auditioned for the lead role of Percy Marks, a music critic, but was offered the part of Zoe instead. "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?" she...