Melissa Barrera is 'at peace' after being fired from 'Scream 7' over Israel-Hamas posts
Melissa Barrera is "at peace" after being fired from "Scream 7" for her social media posts about the Israel-Hamas war.
The actress spoke with Rolling Stone in an interview published Wednesday about Spyglass Media Group dropping her from the horror series after she was critical of Israel and supportive of Palestinians on Instagram.
"I'm not the first person that’s happened to, but it was shocking," Barrera said. "I don't even know what to say. I think everything that happened was very transparent, on both sides, and I know who I am, and I know that what I said always came from a place of love and a place of humanity and a place of human rights and a place of freedom for people, which shouldn’t be controversial. It shouldn't be up for debate."
Barrera added that she is "very at peace," as "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."
Barrera, who has also starred in "In the Heights" and "Vida," had posted on social media that "Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp" and that "THIS IS GENOCIDE & ETHNIC CLEANSING," among other statements.
Spyglass confirmed Barrera's exit from "Scream 7" to USA TODAY in November, saying at the time it has "zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech." In response, Barrera condemned "hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people."
She was among hundreds of actors, comedians and musicians who called for a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel.
Melissa Barrera addresses 'Scream 7' firing over posts on Israel-Hamas war: 'Silence is not an option'
Barrera played Sam Carpenter, the central character of the revived "Scream" franchise beginning with 2022's "Scream" and continuing into 2023's "Scream VI." The latter was the series' highest-grossing installment at the domestic box office. After Barrera was removed from the upcoming "Scream 7," Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter reported that Jenna Ortega, who played Sam's sister Tara Carpenter, will also not be returning for the sequel, although her exit was said to be due to scheduling conflicts unrelated to Barrera's firing.
In the Rolling Stone interview, Barrera did not confirm whether Ortega exited the film in solidarity with her, but she praised her co-star as a "good egg," adding, "She's a good person and we love each other. She would show up for me and I would show up for her no matter what."
"Scream 7" was originally set to be directed by Christopher Landon. But in December, the filmmaker confirmed on X, formerly Twitter, that he exited the project "weeks ago," writing, "It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare. And my heart did break for everyone involved. Everyone. But it’s time to move on. I have nothing."
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No new director or stars have been confirmed for "Scream 7." Jasmin Savoy Brown, who played Mindy Meeks-Martin in the latest two installments, recently told Entertainment Tonight she hasn't received a call about reprising her role. Meanwhile, Neve Campbell told IndieWire that she would be open to returning to the series "given the right circumstances." She previously exited "Scream VI" due to a salary dispute.
Barrera is one of several stars who has faced career repercussions for comments made during the Israel-Hamas war. In November, Susan Sarandon was dropped as a client by United Talent Agency after speaking out at a pro-Palestine rally.
Contributing: KiMi Robinson, Edward Segarra
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Melissa Barrera addresses 'Scream 7' firing, says she's 'at peace'
