A24 has chosen their actors for the film adaptation of the best-selling novel Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley. In their original casting, Odessa A’zion, a white woman, was set to play the role of Zoe Gutierrez, a character with Mexican cultural heritage. Writers of the show even planned to entirely rewrite the character, erasing her culture in order for the role to better fit A’zion. Following this announcement, audiences showed mixed reactions.
Many argued that “adapting POC stories and not using POC to portray them is disappointing.” However, others share online that they believe the subject of the character’s race is a “non-issue.” In fact, a comment left under the BBC News' post wrote “Wish people had this same energy when Disney was black-washing literally every character.” Another wrote, “I’m not this woke.”
Nonetheless, the backlash ultimately led A’zion to exit the A24 film, announcing that she’d never take a role from a Latina-American who is equally as capable and deserving. While her statement showed no underlying resentment, many fans interpreted it as ignorant, claiming she only apologized because she had been called out.
While A’zion’s intentions may be debated, she should not be the only one facing backlash. The casting directors’ choices were clearly calculated and insensitive. Additionally, those who label this as a “non-issue” or a “double standard” fail to understand the importance of media representation and literacy. This conversation is not about tallying diversity points. It is about creating visibility for young women of color who are beginning to write their own narratives in life.
Hispanics only star in 5% of film roles, and men continue to dominate the field. Growing up to see my identity reflected in none of my favorite characters sent the same message this casting choice did. Before I could understand why, I simply believed people like me could never be the stars. I saw Mexican women portrayed as sideliners, cleaning the homes of the slim white women. If not that, Latina women were cast to be eye candy—characters with no emotional depth, just desirable bodies and a mockable accent.
As I grew older, I learned to break down these one-dimensional narratives, understanding that these depictions never reflected my own potential. However, you can never quite forget what it feels like to be invisible. I know many other women of color still carry those feelings of inadequacy rooted within them.
Returning to the comments under BBC’s post, it becomes clear that many of those who engaged hatefully have likely never experienced this feeling. People often jump to defend these mistakes using buzzwords like “wokeness” or “cancel culture.” The term “black-washing” particularly disturbed me as a woman of color. While this article has nothing to do with The Little Mermaid, the contrast between these two casting choices is crucial to understand.
Casting Halle Bailey, a Black woman as Ariel, did change the film. However, I see it as a change for good. So many young black girls now have a strong, beautiful princess to look up to. And her story has a happy ending. Meanwhile, young white girls have had these role models for decades. Additionally, Ariel’s story never depended on her heritage, or her skin color. She is a mermaid, after all—not a human.
All of this being said, representing girls of color is not harmful. What is harmful is erasing a character so deeply enriched in her culture to create more space for white women in the industry. It is harmful to write a Latina-centered narrative and refuse to work with a Hispanic star. And most importantly, it is harmful to view diversity as something fabricated simply to appear more “woke.”
Women of color exist. Brown communities have inspired Hollywood for centuries. And particularly in today’s political climate, Latinx representation matters more than ever.
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