Actress Melissa Barrera has shared her thoughts on being removed from the Scream franchise during an interview with Rolling Stone at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Barrera, 33, discussed Spyglass Studio’s decision to exclude her from the cast of Scream VII in November due to her social media posts about the Israel-Hamas war.
Expressing her surprise at the turn of events, Barrera stated, “I’m not the first person that’s happened to, but it was shocking. I don’t even know what to say.” In response to Spyglass’ statement on her firing, which cited a “zero tolerance for antisemitism,” Barrera asserted that everything was transparent, and she stands by the fact that her statements originated from a place of love, humanity, and advocacy for human rights and freedom.
Barrera conveyed a sense of peace, noting, “So, I’m very at peace. The people who know me in my family know the truth about me and where I stand, and I think most people in the world also do.”
However, she expressed hesitancy about discussing the matter further, stating, “I feel like whatever I say is just going to make it worse.”
Following Barrera’s departure from Scream VII, her co-star Jenna Ortega also left the project. Director Christopher Landon later announced his departure, describing the film as a “dream job that turned into a nightmare.” The future of the Scream franchise remains uncertain.
Barrera, Ortega, and other co-stars from Scream VI held an impromptu reunion at the Motion Picture & Television Fund’s The Evening Before gala on Jan. 14. Barrera emphasized her support for Ortega, stating, “She would show up for me, and I would show up for her no matter what.”
