Posted on 01/30/2026 4:22:40 PM PST by nickcarraway
John Leguizamo, Eva Longoria, and Jessica Alba are just a few stars who signed an open letter demanding better representation for Latino creatives amid the "Deep Cuts" casting controversy
John Leguizamo, Jessica Alba, and Eva Longoria, are among the more than 100 Latino creatives who have signed an open letter to Hollywood calling for more “accountability, intentionality, and equity in casting and storytelling.”
The letter, published Thursday, asks that casting directors, creative executives, writers, producers, and other higher-ups increase the number of Latino voices in the development and greenlighting stages, as well as the number of Latino actors attending auditions and being offered non-stereotypical lead roles. Deadline was the first to report the news.
“We write to you with urgency, because storytelling is humanity’s compass and Hollywood wields all the power,” the letter said. “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. In these challenging moments that power comes with real responsibility.”
The letter was released just one day after Marty Supreme actress Odessa A’zion dropped out of A24’s upcoming romantic drama Deep Cuts following online backlash to her casting. The Actor Awards nominee was set to play a half-Mexican, half-Jewish character named Zoe Gutierrez in the Sean Durkin-directed film, which is adapted from Holly Brickley’s 2025 novel of the same name.
“Recent casting decisions around the character Zoe Gutierrez in A24’s Deep Cuts have exposed a troubling pattern,” the letter noted. “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?”
It continued, “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.”
Still, the letter acknowledged that the problem is “not about any one actor or project,” but rather “about a system that repeatedly overlooks qualified Latino talent even as our identities, histories, and experiences fuel the most enduring stories.”
“Latino communities are already underrepresented and misrepresented in ways that distort reality and harm real people,” it added. “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.”
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It’s why all of the creatives who signed their names are demanding more accountability and representation in the casting and storytelling process.
“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,” it read. “Our stories deserve to be shaped with the input, guidance, and leadership of Latino creators, consultants, writers, and performers at every stage.”
Their list of demands includes that Hollywood “audition and hire more Latino actors for a diverse range of roles,” hire Latino executives, involve more Latino voices throughout the development process, and create mentoring and scholarship pipelines that will “expand access” across all levels of the entertainment industry.
“The world is watching,” the letter concluded.
Besides Leguizamo, Alba, and Longoria, the letter was signed by such stars as Marvel actors Danny Ramirez and Xochitl Gomez, as well as Jane the Virgin alum Gina Rodriguez and Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Stephanie Beatriz.
A’zion announced that she would be exiting Deep Cuts on her Instagram Story on Wednesday, claiming that she’d originally auditioned for a different role and was offered Zoe instead.
“I’m so so sorry that this happened. It is SO important for me to let you in on how it all went down," she wrote. "I went in for Percy, but was offered Zoe instead and instantly said yes! I’m so pissed y’all, I hadn’t read the book and should have paid more attention to all aspects of Zoe before accepting… and now that I know what I know??? F--- that! IM OUT."
Directed by Durkin, Deep Cuts follows the complicated relationship between music critic Percy (Cailee Spaeny) and songwriter Joe (Drew Starkey). A release date has yet to be announced.
“John Leguizamo, Eva Longoria, and Jessica Alba”
Leguizamo has apparently been discriminated against because he’s only been 162 movie/shows. (It seems like he’s in half the movies I see. If not another Hispanic actor, Pedro Pascal, is in it.)
Eva Longoria only has 70 with one series lasting 180 episodes.
Jessica Alba only has 74 with dozens of TV series.
Yep. Serious discrimination going on here.
Well said.
That tells us all we need to know.
What no George Lopez?
Yep.
My only concern is that I don’t know if “latinx” is pronounced like lah-tinks or latin-ex.
It seems they don’t know either...
Didn’t Jessica Alba play Sue Storm? A role that clearly called for a blonde white woman.
Maybe these complaining latino “creatives” are insufferable jerks and people don’t want to hire them....
There are so many Spanish language tv stations originating in the USA.
The actress is half (or a quarter) Jewish. Does that count?
Alba is a faketina. 13% native american and 87% European.
Way better than that movie about the half-indian half-baptist.
Jessica Alba is as latina as much as Princess Gray Beavers crab and tomato dressing is Cherokee.
DNA swab mandatory before casting. Does my 1 percent Panamanian qualify me?
I dunno. I think if you asked an AI to generate images of a half-Mexican, half-Jewish female this is exactly what you would get.
The first link might not work if you don't use the Brave browser. Here is an alternate link to her Instagram photos:
I’m going to write a strongly worded letter to Hollywood complaining that not enough people that can’t act, have blond hair, blue eyes, over six feet, CIS, and over 65 are under represented and that I can help them meet that goal with a large enough paycheck.
So we’ve now got a one-drop Latino rule?
I have not seen any Chuck Norris type guys in Hollywood movies lately.
“creatives”?
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