Melissa Barrera has opened up about former cast members of Scream returning to the film after her firing. She also claimed that the box office numbers released for Scream 7 were untrue.
Melissa Barrera was part of the Scream franchise until the sixth film, as she played the role of Samantha Carpenter. However, she was fired in 2023 due to her comments regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict. She regularly posted her thoughts on social media, slamming Israel and comparing the attacks on Palestine to concentration camps.
Her agency, WME, and Scream‘s production company fired her after these comments. The likes of Jenna Ortega also left after Barrera. This led the filmmakers to bring in some cast members from the old movies in the franchise.
In an interview with Variety, the Mexican actress was asked if “people basically crossing the picket line?” She answered:
“Oh, one hundred percent. I think they all are. And they have to live with that. The only way they were able to make that movie after what happened was to nostalgia-bait as much as possible.”
When asked about the box office numbers for Scream 7, she said:
“I know. And I think they lied about the numbers. I don’t think it made that much money.”
According to Variety, Scream 7 made $207 million worldwide after its release in February this year. It starred the likes of Neve Campbell, McKenna Grace, and Mathew Lillard, among others.
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More about Melissa Barrera’s firing from Scream 7 in 2023
Following the re-emergence of the Israel-Gaza conflict in 2023, Melissa Barrera shared numerous social media posts regarding the issue. She shared studies about Israel allegedly committing genocide, while also sharing fundraising links to Palestine.
This led to her being ostracized from Hollywood, with her agency, WME, dropping her. Moreover, Spyglass fired her from Scream 7 and released a statement that read:
“Spyglass’ stance is unequivocally clear: We have 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.”
At the time, Melissa Barrera pushed back against Spyglass’s statement and stated:
“I believe a group of people are not their leadership and that no governing body should be above criticism. I pray day and night for no more deaths, for no more violence and for peaceful co-existence. I will continue to speak out for those that need it most and continue to advocate for peace and safety, for human rights and freedom. Silence is not an option for me.”
The actress barely got any offers for around a year after the incident. In her interview with Variety, Barrera explained:
“Because I was one of the first to speak up, to this day there are still a lot of people in the industry who have a personal grudge against me.”
Melissa Barrera is currently playing the role of Rose in the Broadway musical, Titanique. It has also earned a Tony nomination for Best Musical and stars the likes of Jim Parsons, Deborah Cox, and Frankie Grande, among others.
Also Read: “We want them back”- Fans remember Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega as Scream 7 trailer receives heavy backlash
Edited by Aditya Singh
