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After 'Deep Cuts' casting controversy, Odessa A'zion finally shares why she left

Newsweek · · 522 words · By Aayu Sharma
Authentic Representation Actor Accountability Casting Controversy
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What to know about Authentic Representation

Actors don't shy away from celebrating major accomplishments like nabbing a dream role in a big-budget movie.

Claims checked 6
Techniques found 1
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Right coverage
Left33%
Center67%
Right0%

3 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Actors don't shy away from celebrating major accomplishments like nabbing a dream role in a big-budget movie.

Why it matters

But that's exactly what Odessa A'Zion chose to do after finding herself at the center of a casting debate surrounding A24's upcoming adaptation of "Deep Cuts." Now, almost six months after her exit, the actor has come forward to explain why she ultimately…

Common ground

Earlier this year, it was announced that the "Marty Supreme" star will be playing the role of Zoe Gutierrez, a character from Holly Brickley's 2025 novel who is described as both Jewish and Mexican.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.newsweek.com/entertainment/movies/odessa-azion-reveals-why-she-left-…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 6 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 4
verified Verified By Reference 1
info Single Source 1
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Claim 1: “Odessa A'Zion chose to do [walk away] after finding herself at the center of a casting debate surrounding A24's upcoming adaptation of "Deep Cuts."”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (BBC, Facebook, and other web results) confirm that Odessa A'zion exited the A24 film 'Deep Cuts' following a casting controversy/backlash.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Deep Cuts is an upcoming American romantic drama film written and directed by Sean Durkin, adapted from the novel of the same name by Holly Brickley.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Cuts_(film)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Marty Supreme is a 2025 American sports comedy-drama film directed by Josh Safdie, who co-wrote it with Ronald Bronstein. Set in the 1950s, it stars Timothée Chalamet as table tennis player Marty Maus…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marty_Supreme
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Odessa Zion Segall Adlon ( AD-lon; born June 17, 2000), known professionally as Odessa A'zion ( ə-ZY-on), is an American actress. On television, she is known for her roles in the CBS series Fam (2019)…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odessa_A'zion
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 2: “In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 25-year-old actor opened up about the casting controversy”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia cites a Hollywood Reporter interview where the 25-year-old actor discusses the controversy. Additionally, her birth date (June 17, 2000) provided in Wikipedia confirms she is 25 years old in 2025/2026.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hellraiser is a 2022 supernatural horror film directed by David Bruckner, with a screenplay by Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski, from a screen story co-written with David S. Goyer. It is the eleventh f…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellraiser_(2022_film)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Odessa Zion Segall Adlon ( AD-lon; born June 17, 2000), known professionally as Odessa A'zion ( ə-ZY-on), is an American actress. On television, she is known for her roles in the CBS series Fam (2019)…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odessa_A'zion
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — She Rides Shotgun is a 2025 American crime thriller film directed by Nick Rowland, written by Jordan Harper, Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski, and starring Taron Egerton. It is based on Harper's 2017 n…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/She_Rides_Shotgun
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 3: “announced on social media that she was officially exiting "Deep Cuts."”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources (Facebook, Instagram, and other web results) specifically report that A'zion announced her exit from the film via social media, specifically mentioning Instagram and Instagram Stories.
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web search NEUTRAL — Jan 29, 2026 ... Odessa A'zion announced on her Instagram Stories that she has dropped out of the film adaptation of 'Deep Cuts' following online backlash ...
https://people.com/odessa-azion-drops-out-of-deep-cuts-adapt…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jan 29, 2026 ... ... Odessa A'zion has announced her exit from the new movie, 'Deep Cuts,' following backlash over her casting. The actress shared on social media
https://www.instagram.com/p/DUGW37yjHpR/
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web search NEUTRAL — Jan 29, 2026 ... Odessa A'zion, known for her role in Marty Supreme, announced on Instagram that she is exiting Sean Durkin's A24 film Deep Cuts after backlash ...
https://www.facebook.com/KyleMeredith/posts/odessa-azion-say…
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Claim 4: “Zoe Gutierrez, a character from Holly Brickley's 2025 novel who is described as both Jewish and Mexican.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results explicitly state that in Holly Brickley's 2025 novel, the character Zoe Gutierrez is described as being of Mexican and Jewish heritage.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Deep Cuts is an upcoming American romantic drama film written and directed by Sean Durkin, adapted from the novel of the same name by Holly Brickley.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Cuts_(film)
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web search NEUTRAL — Feb 10, 2026 ... In the popular 2025 Holly Brickley novel, the character of Zoe Gutierrez is of Mexican heritage and is Jewish. The character is a close friend ...
https://www.facebook.com/etalkctv/posts/ariela-barer-is-step…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jan 29, 2026 ... ... Zoe Gutierrez, a Mexican and Jewish character in Holly Brickley's book. While the actress has since dropped out, the casting reignited an ...
https://www.instagram.com/p/DUGXYC0kV_J/
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 5: “it was announced that the "Marty Supreme" star will be playing the role of Zoe Gutierrez”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including Wikipedia and Reddit, confirm that Odessa A'zion was cast as the character Zoe Gutierrez in the adaptation of 'Deep Cuts'.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Odessa Zion Segall Adlon ( AD-lon; born June 17, 2000), known professionally as Odessa A'zion ( ə-ZY-on), is an American actress. On television, she is known for her roles in the CBS series Fam (2019)…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odessa_A'zion
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Deep Cuts is an upcoming American romantic drama film written and directed by Sean Durkin, adapted from the novel of the same name by Holly Brickley.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Cuts_(film)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of American films released in 2025. Following the box office section, this list is organized chronologically, providing information on release dates, production companies, directors, an…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_2025
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 6: “A'zion also shared that she initially auditioned for the movie's lead part and was later offered another female role”
SINGLE SOURCE
While sources confirm she was cast as Zoe Gutierrez and later exited, none of the provided evidence explicitly mentions that she initially auditioned for the lead part before being offered the role of Zoe.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Feb 10, 2026 ... Odessa A'zion is out of A24's 'Deep Cuts' after a major casting backlash. She had been set to play Zoe Gutierrez, a character in the book who ...
https://www.facebook.com/etalkctv/posts/ariela-barer-is-step…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jan 27, 2026 ... Odessa A'zion cast as Zoe Gutierrez in Josh Safdie produced adaptation of 'Deep Cuts' ... be so happy because they gave you a role you know ...
https://www.reddit.com/r/Fauxmoi/comments/1qoh51c/odessa_azi…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Feb 10, 2026 ... 'Deep Cuts' has cast Ariela Barer as Zoe after Odessa A'zion exited the role following online criticism that the character had been ...
https://ew.com/deep-cuts-recasts-odessa-a-zion-role-after-wh…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.