Odessa A’zion has been at the center of fierce social media discourse for the past few days, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to die down anytime soon — even after she issued a passionate response.
In case you missed it, earlier this week, it was announced that 25-year-old A’zion, who is white, had been cast in Sean Durkin’s movie adaptation of the novel “Deep Cuts,” where she would play a character named Zoe Gutierrez, who is Mexican.
This casting decision sparked immediate backlash, with A’zion being heavily criticized for whitewashing the character, as well as for taking a role away from a Latina actor. In addition, the timing of this decision amid the current political climate across the United States did not go unchecked, with one viral tweet, that has seemingly now been deleted, reading: “Casting a white woman to play a Mexican [role] at a time when Latinos in this country are afraid to leave their houses for fear of their government kidnapping them is so gross.”
“and i can tell you right now there are thousands of beautiful, talented and passionate mexican actors out there waiting for their big break…to see a white woman steal that opportunity in the current political climate is not only disgusting but also disheartening,” another tweeted.
