• More than 100 Latino performers signed open letter addressing systemic Hollywood failures
• Letter calls for Latino executives in greenlighting positions and early-stage consultants
• Controversy erupted over casting non-Latina actress as Mexican character

LOS ANGELES, CA (TDR) — More than 100 Latino performers, creators, and storytellers have signed an open letter calling on Hollywood to address systemic failures in representation following the casting controversy surrounding A24's film adaptation of "Deep Cuts."

The letter, published on January 29, urges studios and decision-makers to increase auditions for Latino actors, hire Latino executives in greenlighting positions, and incorporate Latino voices as consultants, writers, and producers from the earliest stages of development. Prominent signatories include Eva Longoria, John Leguizamo, Xochitl Gomez, Jessica Alba, Gina Rodriguez, Melissa Barrera, Danny Ramirez, Becky G, Michael Peña, and Gloria Calderón Kellett.

"We write to you with urgency, because storytelling is humanity's compass and Hollywood wields all the power. The stories you choose to tell, and how you tell them, shape public perception, cultural understanding, and who gets to see themselves reflected on screen."

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Deep Cuts Casting Sparks Industry Reckoning

The controversy erupted when Odessa A'zion was cast as Zoe Gutierrez, a character explicitly written as half-Mexican and half-Jewish in Holly Brickley's 2025 novel. A'zion, who is Jewish but not Mexican, faced immediate backlash from fans of the book after the casting announcement on January 27.

The 25-year-old actress, who gained recognition for her breakout role in "Marty Supreme," announced her exit from the A24 film just two days later via Instagram Stories.

"Guys!! I am with ALL of you and I am NOT doing this movie. I AGREE WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!"

A'zion explained that she had originally auditioned for the lead role of Percy but was offered Zoe instead and "instantly said yes" without fully understanding the character's background. The actress admitted she hadn't read the book and apologized for not paying closer attention to all aspects of the character before accepting.

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"I'm so pissed y'all, I hadn't read the book and should have paid attention to all aspects of Zoe before accepting…and now that I know what I know??? F--k that. I'm OUT. I'd never take a role from someone else that's meant to do it. That SHOULD do it! That's not me."

Systemic Pattern Beyond Single Casting Decision

The open letter emphasizes that the Deep Cuts controversy represents a broader systemic issue rather than criticism of any individual actor or project.

"Recent casting decisions around the character Zoe Gutierrez in A24's Deep Cuts have exposed a troubling pattern. We acknowledge and commend Odessa A'zion for listening, reflecting and deciding to exit the project and become an ally. Yet how did this happen?"

The letter continues with sharp criticism of industry practices that exclude Latino talent from even auditioning for roles explicitly written for their community.

"The absence of Latina audition opportunities, and the choice to replace a clearly Latina character with a non-Latina actress, signals a broader, ongoing erasure of our community from the stories that define our culture. This is not about any one actor or project. It is about a system that repeatedly overlooks qualified Latino talent even as our identities, histories, and experiences fuel the most enduring stories."

Gomez revealed to the Los Angeles Times that she and other Latina actresses were pitched for the role but told there was already an actress with an exclusive offer.

"This isn't about Odessa. It's about the executives, the producers and the whole system at the top. They thought it was OK to not even audition Latinas for the role in the first place. This role never showed up on the casting grid because it was already gone."

Stark Representation Statistics

The letter arrives amid troubling data from UCLA's 2025 Hollywood Diversity Report revealing severe underrepresentation across the entertainment industry. According to the research, Latinos were cast in only 1% of leading roles in the top 104 English-language films released theatrically in 2024, despite constituting roughly 20% of the total U.S. population.

In television, the disparities are equally stark. The UCLA report found that only 1.1% of top streaming scripted shows were created by Latinos, with just 3.3% featuring Latino lead actors and 5.2% co-led by Latino actors. Behind the camera, Latinos made up only 4.9% of those who received television deals—four times less than their percentage of the U.S. population.

"Latino communities are already underrepresented and misrepresented in ways that distort reality and harm real people. Casting decisions carry real weight: they influence who is seen as worthy of authentic storytelling and who gets to tell those stories with care, nuance, and authority."

Specific Industry Demands

The open letter concludes with concrete action items for casting directors, creative executives, writers, producers, and Hollywood leaders:

Audition and hire more Latino actors for a diverse range of roles, including non-stereotypical leads

Hire Latino executives in greenlighting rooms with decision-making power over which projects move forward

Include Latino voices as consultants, writers, and producers from the earliest stages of development, ensuring authentic representation in storytelling

Create and support pipelines through mentoring, scholarships, and opportunities that expand access at all levels of the entertainment ecosystem

"We are calling for accountability, intentionality, and equity in casting and storytelling. Authentic representation means more than casting a performer who looks like the character; it means involving the communities being portrayed not just in front of the camera, but in the decisions that shape these stories from their inception."

Historical Context And Ongoing Struggle

The letter follows a 2020 open letter signed by over 270 showrunners, creators, and television and film writers—including Lin-Manuel Miranda—that called for systemic change in the industry. Representative Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), who has nominated several Latino-focused films to the Library of Congress National Film Registry, penned a 2020 column in Variety underscoring the consequences of omission.

"Prejudice has existed in the United States for generations, but the image of our community created by film and television has done little to counter bigoted views, and too often has amplified them."

The Deep Cuts film, directed by Sean Durkin and starring Cailee Spaeny and Drew Starkey, is set to begin production in February 2026. The 2000s-set story follows two music-obsessed twenty-somethings navigating romance, ambition, and adulthood. No replacement has been announced for the role of Zoe Gutierrez.

Will Hollywood's power brokers heed the calls for systemic change from over 100 Latino artists, or will this moment of accountability fade into another unfulfilled promise in an industry with a long history of performative diversity commitments?

Sources

This report was compiled using information from TheWrap's coverage of the open letter and A'zion's exit, FOX 11 Los Angeles reporting on the casting controversy, TMZ's coverage of A'zion's statement, The Daily Beast's analysis, Elite Daily's reporting, Dark Horizons' coverage, Yahoo Entertainment's interview with Xochitl Gomez, and UCLA's 2025 Hollywood Diversity Report findings on Latino representation in streaming.

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