Who is Odessa A'zion? Quick Facts on the 'Marty Supreme' Actress That People Are Accusing of Trying To Steal Jobs From Latina Women

Actress Odessa A'zion, known best for her supporting role in Marty Supreme, has become embroiled in online controversy about casting choices on upcoming film Deep Cuts. The actress was announced as part of the cast for the upcoming adaptation of Holly Brickley's novel of the same name.

Social media users argues that she had been miscast in a role for a Jewish-Mexican character. The backlash centred on concerns about representation, with some accusing her of actively trying to 'steal roles' from Latina actresses. Just who is Odessa A'zion and how did she rise to prominence?

Early Life and Family Background

Odessa Zion Segall Adlon, known professionally as Odessa A'zion, was born on 17 June 2000 in Sacramento, California. She grew up in Los Angeles and also spent parts of her childhood in Boston, Massachusetts and Neufahrn, Germany.

A'zion is the daughter of actress Pamela Adlon and German director Felix Adlon, and the sibling of Gideon Adlon. Her family background includes filmmaker Percy Adlon and writer-producer Don Segall, with Jewish heritage on her mother's side. She attended Charter High School of the Arts in Los Angeles, where she studied performing arts.

Breakthrough Television Roles and Film Career Expansion

Initially credited as Odessa Adlon, she secured her first notable television role in 2017, appearing as Liv in season five of Nashville. Her early film work included Ladyworld in 2018 and the one-shot horror film Let's Scare Julie in 2020. These roles marked her transition from guest appearances to more prominent screen work.

In 2019, A'zion landed her first main role as Shannon in the CBS sitcom Fam. The same year, she was announced as the lead character Joey Del Marco in the Netflix series Grand Army, which premiered in 2020. Her performance in the series received critical attention alongside co-star Odley Jean.

A'zion continued building her filmography with roles in Mark, Mary & Some Other People in 2021 and lead performances in Hellraiser and The Inhabitant in 2022. She also appeared in Am I Ok? and Good Girl Jane during the same period. In 2023, she starred opposite Yara Shahidi in Sitting in Bars with Cake, expanding her profile in studio-backed productions.

In 2024, A'zion appeared in Fresh Kills and was cast in Until Dawn, based on the video game franchise, which was released on 25 April 2025. She also joined the cast of the HBO series I Love LA, created by Rachel Sennott.

Marty Supreme and Awards Attention

A'zion was cast in Josh Safdie's film Marty Supreme in September 2024, alongside Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow and Tyler, the Creator. The film was released in 2025 and led to nominations for A'zion at the Actor Awards and the British Academy Film Awards for her supporting role. These nominations marked a significant milestone in her career.

Following Marty Supreme, A'zion was cast in A24's adaptation of Holly Brickley's novel Deep Cuts as Zoe Gutierrez. The character is described in the book as having Mexican and Jewish heritage, which prompted online backlash questioning the casting choice. Critics argued that the role should have gone to a Latin American actress .

Withdrawal From The Project

After the backlash, A'zion announced that she had pulled out of Deep Cuts, stating she had not read the novel before accepting the role. She acknowledged that she should have paid closer attention to the character's background. In an Instagram post, she wrote, 'I'd never take a role from someone else that's meant to do it' and confirmed she had originally auditioned for a different character.

She added, 'I just cannot do it knowing more about Zoe now' and emphasised there were many actors capable of playing the role.