Melissa Barrera has not held back in expressing her feelings about her former co-stars from the Scream franchise. The 35-year-old actress, who played Sam Carpenter in the slasher films Scream and Scream VI, was fired from Scream 7 amid allegations of making antisemitic remarks. The pro-Palestinian star had posted regularly about the Israel-Gaza conflict, including resharing a post that accused Israel of 'genocide and ethnic cleansing' following the government's killing of Palestinian civilians after the October 7 Hamas terror attacks.
Production company Spyglass dropped her from the movie, stating its stance was 'unequivocally clear' and insisting on 'zero tolerance for antisemitism' and 'false references to genocide'. Barrera was replaced by Neve Campbell, an original franchise star who had opted out of Scream VI due to a pay dispute.
Barrera's Criticism of Scream 7
In a new interview, Barrera agreed with Variety journalist Marlow Stern that Scream 7 'sucked' and theorized that its box office numbers were inflated. 'I know. And I think they lied about the numbers. I don't think it made that much money,' she added. The publication's independently verified box office gross still placed Scream 7 at $207 million worldwide, with an eighth film now in development.
She also agreed with Stern that actors brought back by Spyglass—whom she did not name—were 'scabby' and 'crossing the picket line'. '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,' she responded.
The sequel, featuring Courteney Cox as co-lead alongside David Arquette, Anna Camp, Matthew Lillard, Mckenna Grace, and Isabel May, was released in February but received poor reviews.
Defense Against Antisemitism Claims
Barrera claimed that many in the industry still hold a 'personal grudge' against her for her statements, despite other Hollywood stars like Javier Bardem and Mark Ruffalo speaking out against Israel's actions. She defended herself against Spyglass's accusations of antisemitism. 'Those people still deny that what's going on is a genocide. So, we're never going to see eye to eye on that. I mean the people that accused me of being antisemitic, and the people that run Spyglass. And they're wrong. Just factually wrong.'
Background of the Controversy
In November 2023, Barrera criticized the Israeli government's assault on Gaza on Instagram following the October 7 Hamas terror attacks, which killed approximately 1,200 attendees at a music festival. She reshared posts, including one stating, 'if you're wondering how the world watched when genocides and ethnic cleansings happened… this is how'. In another post, she said she came from a colonized country, posting a Mexican flag, and declared 'Palestine will be free'.
The actress also wrote: 'Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp. Cornering everyone together, with nowhere to go, no electricity no water… People have learnt nothing from our histories. And just like our histories, people are still silently watching it happen. THIS IS GENOCIDE & ETHNIC CLEANSING.' In another post, she shared: 'Just like all Palestinians are NOT Hamas, All Jewish people are NOT the Israeli Govt. Do not blame, or hate on, a whole group of people because of what some are doing.'
A Spyglass spokesperson told Variety: '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.'
Aftermath and Future Plans
Following her firing, Scream 7 director Christopher Landon reportedly tweeted and deleted: 'Everything sucks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make.' Barrera, currently starring in the Broadway musical Titaníque, said she is now focused on 'building a slate, producing, and finding good companies to partner with' and has 'lists of all the people I want to work with'.
Asked who appears on her lists, she said she has 'kept track of the people who vocally came out and said something to defend me at the time', naming Susan Sarandon, Tatiana Maslany, Hannah Einbinder, and Poppy Liu. 'Obviously, Javier Bardem would be a dream to work with. He doesn't need me to give him any opportunities. But yes, I have lists. I do believe in building a network of people who are like-minded. And for me, this is chapter two.'
Metro has contacted reps for Neve Campbell, Spyglass, and Paramount for comment.
