Odessa A'zion is not the actress you look up when you want a neat, family-friendly Disney Channel darling. She is Gen-Z's reigning queen of grit, known for playing messy, deeply human, and highly unfiltered characters in intense projects that are strictly for older teens and adults. If your teen is obsessed with her after her massive breakout in A24's hit Marty Supreme or HBO's I Love LA, you need to know that her filmography leans hard into R-rated horror, drug addiction, and raw high school trauma.
TL;DR: Odessa A’zion is a powerhouse actress who specializes in playing complex, rebellious, and raw characters. While her award-winning breakout role in Marty Supreme and her voice role in Stranger Things: Tales from '85 are great entry points for older teens, much of her work—like Grand Army and Hellraiser—deals with heavy, R-rated themes like sexual assault, substance abuse, and intense violence. For a full breakdown of what's age-appropriate for your family, check out our digital guide for high schoolers.
Odessa A’zion (born Odessa Adlon) is Hollywood royalty—daughter of Better Things creator Pamela Adlon—but she has carved out a distinct lane as Gen-Z's go-to actress for raw, jagged, and fiercely authentic performances. She doesn't do "polished." She does messy, complicated, and intensely real. From indie darlings to hardcore slasher flicks, she’s become a household name for teens who love their media with a heavy dose of realism.
Joey Del Marco is the heart of this short-lived but incredibly powerful Netflix drama. Joey is a feminist, a dancer, and a free spirit whose life is upended after she is sexually assaulted by her lifelong best friends. It is a brutal, exhausting, and deeply necessary watch for mature older teens, but it is not a fun Friday night binge. The show deals with systemic racism, rape culture, and the absolute failure of school systems to protect kids. If your high schooler is watching this, it's a prime opportunity to talk about consent, boundaries, and what real allyship looks like when a friend is in crisis.
In this 2022 reboot, Odessa takes on the iconic horror franchise as Riley, a young woman struggling with addiction who stumbles upon the infamous Cenobite puzzle box. This is a hard-R horror film. We are talking graphic body horror, peeling skin, psychological torment, and heavy themes of addiction and withdrawal. Riley is not a perfect final girl; she is deeply flawed, makes terrible choices, and is actively fighting her own demons. If your teen is a horror buff, it's a masterclass in modern atmospheric dread, but keep it far away from younger kids.
This Josh Safdie-directed sports comedy-drama is Odessa's true ticket to superstardom. Playing Rachel Mizler opposite Timothée Chalamet's table tennis champion, she brings a subtly savvy, electric energy to the screen that earned her massive critical acclaim and major award nominations in early 2026. The film is rated R—expect plenty of language, sexual content, and some nudity—but it's also a highly stylized, fast-paced ride through 1950s hustle culture. It’s an incredible watch for older teens who are starting to appreciate cinema as an art form rather than just passive entertainment.
In Rachel Sennott's sharp, satirical HBO series, Odessa plays an influencer navigating the absurd, hyper-connected, and deeply fake world of modern Los Angeles. It’s hilarious, biting, and incredibly well-written. But because it’s HBO, it doesn’t hold back. There is rampant drug use, casual sex, and wall-to-wall mature language. It perfectly captures the anxieties of Gen-Z fame-seekers, making it highly relatable for older teens, but it’s definitely one to vet beforehand. Looking ahead, she is set to return for the show's highly anticipated second season, which will continue her streak of unfiltered comedy.
If your kid is a gamer, they probably already know the interactive horror game Until Dawn (game). Odessa stars in the 2025 movie adaptation directed by David F. Sandberg. It’s a fun, loop-based slasher film where a group of friends must survive a shifting nightmare. While it is rated R for strong bloody violence and gore, it sits in that fun, popcorn-thriller category rather than the pitch-black psychological horror of Hellraiser. If your teen has already played the game, they'll love seeing how the film tackles the time-loop mechanics and original mythology.
For her most accessible project yet, Odessa joined the voice cast of Netflix's animated spin-off Stranger Things: Tales from '85 as Nikki Baxter. Set between the second and third seasons of the main show, this TV-14 animated adventure captures the nostalgic, monster-hunting Saturday-morning cartoon vibe that the Duffer Brothers intended. It’s a fantastic entry point for middle schoolers and younger teens who want to enjoy Odessa’s charismatic energy without the R-rated baggage of her live-action roles.
For parents keeping an eye on her upcoming projects, Odessa is set to star in an untitled drama alongside powerhouse actresses Sarah Paulson, Naomi Watts, and Dianne Wiest. She is expected to play Lucy, a willful rebel on the edge of a life-altering decision. Based on the cast and the creative team, it looks like it will be another high-stakes emotional drama that leans into complex family dynamics and raw tension.
The defining characteristic of Odessa A'zion's career is her refusal to play the "girl next door". She has openly stated she’d be terrible at it, and she actively seeks out characters who are messy, self-sabotaging, and deeply human. When your teen watches her, they aren't seeing a sanitized role model; they are seeing a mirror of real-world struggles.
Instead of shielding your high schooler from these heavy themes, use them as a launchpad. When her characters make destructive choices in Hellraiser or face systemic injustice in Grand Army, ask your teen: Why do you think she made that choice? What would you have done in her shoes? It turns a potentially passive, intense viewing experience into active, critical thinking.
Q: Is Odessa A’zion okay for a 14-year-old?
It depends entirely on the project, but her most famous live-action roles are definitely not. Shows like Grand Army and movies like Hellraiser feature heavy sexual content, graphic horror, and intense drug use. If they want to see her work, start with her TV-14 animated project, Stranger Things: Tales from '85.
Q: What is Odessa A’zion's most kid-friendly role?
Her voice role as Nikki Baxter in the animated spin-off Stranger Things: Tales from '85 is her most accessible project. It’s rated TV-14 and captures the classic, adventure-heavy vibe of the original series without the extreme R-rated content of her live-action films.
Q: Is the Until Dawn movie okay for teenagers?
The Until Dawn movie is rated R for strong bloody violence and language, much like the Until Dawn game it’s based on. While it's a fun, loop-based slasher, it is packed with gore and jump scares, making it best suited for older teens who are already seasoned horror fans.
Q: Why did Odessa A'zion drop out of Deep Cuts?
Odessa pulled out of the A24 film Deep Cuts in early 2026 after fans pointed out that the character she was cast to play, Zoe Gutierrez, is of Mexican and Jewish heritage. Because Odessa does not have Mexican roots, she publicly agreed with the casting backlash, apologized for not researching the role beforehand, and stepped down to ensure the character could be played by a Latina actress.
Odessa A'zion is a phenomenal talent who is defining what a modern, unfiltered movie star looks like. If your teen is old enough to handle her work, her performances offer some of the most honest, raw, and compelling storytelling on screen today.
If you're looking for more age-appropriate thrillers, check out our best movies for kids list or explore our digital guide for high schoolers to find shows that strike the right balance of grit and safety.
