More than 100 Latino actors, writers, and producers have signed an open letter condemning Hollywood’s casting practices, citing a “troubling pattern” of erasure following the casting of a non-Latina actress as a character named Zoe Gutierrez.
The letter, published by Variety, comes after Odessa A’zion withdrew from A24’s “Deep Cuts” adaptation following backlash over her casting. Signatories include Eva Longoria, John Leguizamo, Xochitl Gomez, Gina Rodriguez, Melissa Barrera, and Jessica Alba — names with enough collective leverage to make studio executives sweat.
“We acknowledge and commend Odessa A’zion for listening, reflecting and deciding to exit the project and become an ally,” the letter reads. “Yet how did this happen?”
That question is the point.
A’zion stepping down addresses one casting decision. The letter targets the apparatus that made that decision possible: greenlighting rooms without Latino executives, development processes without Latino consultants, audition slates that routinely exclude qualified Latino actors.
The demands are specific: hire Latino executives in decision-making positions, include Latino voices from earliest development stages, audition more Latino actors for “non-stereotypical leads,” and create pipelines through mentoring and scholarships. This isn’t a request for awareness — it’s a structural blueprint.
“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,” the letter states.
The timing matters. Latino representation fights have historically been overshadowed by other industry equity conversations, and the creatives signing this letter are making clear they’re done waiting for their turn. “The world is watching,” the letter warns.
Whether A24 and other studios respond with actual infrastructure changes or performative gestures will determine if this moment becomes precedent or footnote.
