A24’s Deep Cuts has just gone through a very public casting shift, and this time, the internet seems to be having a genuinely positive influence on the process. Ariela Barer, known for her roles in The Last of Us and How to Blow Up a Pipeline, has officially taken over the role originally cast with Odessa A’Zion in the upcoming adaptation of Holly Brickley’s 2025 novel after backlash began to build over whitewashing accusations. The role, Zoe Gutierrez, is described as half-Jewish, half-Mexican, and A’Zion, who is Jewish herself, admitted she hadn’t read the book and didn’t know the full extent of the character’s heritage when she took the part.
After the internet pointed out the issue, things seemed to have progressed quickly.
Odessa A’Zion exited the film after backlash
In an Instagram post, A’Zion came clean about leaving the film: “I am NOT doing this movie. F— that. I’m OUT.” She went on to say, “I would never take a role meant for another person, and I should have been more thoughtful and taken a closer look at the character and her heritage before signing on to this film.” She concluded with, “There are a plentitude of people more than capable of playing this role, and I am not one of them.”
Now Barer, who is Mexican American and Jewish, is stepping into Zoe’s shoes. But what’s refreshing is that there’s no bad blood between the two. In fact, A’Zion celebrated the news publicly, writing, “THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKIN ABOUT BABY… She’s gonna eat it up.” Barer then replied, praising A’Zion for “leading with integrity.”
For fans, that’s a welcome change. What could’ve been a nasty fight between the two actresses became a moment for accountability and course correction.
The movie, which is set in the 2000s, is a romantic drama that follows music-obsessed twenty-somethings navigating ambition and adulthood. It’s written and directed by Sean Durkin, known for The Iron Claw. Barer joins Cailee Spaeny and Drew Starkey, and production is set to start soon.
In an industry that doesn’t always pivot well, it’s a welcome change to think that, for once, we might be witnessing a moment where we learn and improve.
