A24's New Adaptation Hit With Whitewashing Accusations After Casting Marty Supreme's Breakout Star In Key Role

18 hours ago 3

Odessa A'zion at the 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards

Published Jan 28, 2026, 6:01 PM EST

Sarah is a writer and journalist who has been writing for ScreenRant since 2024. She holds an advanced diploma in journalism from Humber Polytechnic. Specializing in entertainment news, Sarah also brings extensive experience in radio, TV production, editing, and investigative journalism. As a senior, she contributed to the Climate Disaster Project, gaining valuable expertise in impactful storytelling.

A24’s upcoming adaptation of Holly Brickley’s novel Deep Cuts has sparked controversy online after the studio cast Marty Supreme breakout star Odessa A’zion. Deep Cuts is said to examine the nature of talent, obsession, belonging, and above all, the need to be heard. The film will be directed by Sean Durkin and will star Drew Starkey and Cailee Spaeny alongside A’zion.

Deep Cuts, published in 2023, is a coming-of-age romance centered on two music-obsessed college students whose lives and ambitions intertwine over the course of a decade. Set against the backdrop of the 2000s underground music scene, the novel explores shifting artistic identities, evolving relationships, and how creativity, intimacy, and identity can change over time.

A’zion is poised to play Zoe Gutierrez, a half-Mexican, half-Jewish character whose identity plays a big role in the book. Social media reacted quickly after the news broke, with many criticizing the choice and calling for a Latina actress to portray Zoe. See some of the reactions below:

Deep Cuts was widely praised for its specificity, especially for how it grounds its characters in lived experiences, personal histories, and cultural context. Zoe Gutierrez was a standout character from the novel, with her Mexican and Jewish heritage informing both her sense of belonging and the way she navigates creative spaces that often tokenize or marginalize difference.

A’zion has emerged as one of Hollywood’s most talked-about young actors following her breakout roles in Marty Supreme and I Love L.A., earning attention for her intense screen presence and emotionally grounded performances. While casting a popular young talent is generally good news, casting choices like this often spark broader industry conversations about representation, or the lack thereof.

As studios increasingly try to adapt novels written with diverse characters and perspectives, audiences have grown more wary of whether those elements are handled with authenticity and care. For A24, which often champions authenticity and specificity in its storytelling, Deep Cuts presents a test of how those values translate when adapting a contemporary literary work.

As production moves forward, Deep Cuts is likely to remain under scrutiny, particularly from readers invested in Brickley’s novel. The film’s reception may already be tainted by the alleged rewriting of the character’s roots, especially since it failed to preserve the specificity that made the book resonate.

With audiences keeping a close eye on the adaptation, A24’s Deep Cuts now carries added weight as an example of how modern diverse stories are, sometimes, poorly translated for the screen.