Odessa A’Zion’s surprising method to becoming better actress

Odessa A’zion has revealed she now makes a habit of watching her own performances back and she’s not afraid of what she might see.

The 25-year-old actress, who has quickly become one of Hollywood’s rising stars, admitted she once avoided her own films completely after being told it was best not to “overthink” your work. 

But she says that mindset only left her doubting herself more.

Speaking after winning the prestigious Trophée Chopard, Female Revelation of the Year at the Cannes Film Festival, Odessa explained she’s changed her approach to acting in a big way.

“I used to always think the thing to do was never watch your work,” she said. 

“And if I did, I’d just think, ‘Oh my God, I suck. What am I doing?’”

Now, she treats it more like training. 

“It’s like being an athlete,” she added. 

“Athletes watch their plays to see what worked and what didn’t. Acting is the same. It helps you understand what’s working for you.”

The Until Dawn actress says she doesn’t obsess over her performances, but will usually watch each project at least once once it’s released. 

For her, it’s about learning, not criticising.

“I notice facial expressions that didn’t work or moments that came off wrong,” she admitted. 

“Sometimes I’ll even use playback on set if I feel like I need to figure out a direction.”

The Marty Supreme star, who acted alongside Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kevin O’Leary, says the film has been a life-changing experience. 

She described working with director Josh Safdie as something that deeply shaped her confidence as an actress.

“It feels like it was written for me,” she said, calling the role both surreal and special.

Despite her rapid rise, Odessa insists she’s still learning, one viewing at a time.

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