Melissa Barrera has not held back her true thoughts on Scream 7 three years after she was fired from the horror franchise for speaking out against Israel. In a new interview with Variety, the 35-year-old actor criticized her former colleagues for siding with the people who dismissed her.
Barrera’s Firing and Fallout
Production company Spyglass terminated Barrera from her lead role in Scream over her social media posts regarding the conflict in Gaza. After her exit, co-star Jenna Ortega also dropped out, along with the director. Scream 7 then restructured by bringing back original stars like Neve Campbell and Matthew Lillard.
‘Scabs’ and Nostalgia Bait
When asked if she considers those who agreed to do the movie after her firing to be “scabs” who crossed a picket line, Barrera responded: “Oh, one hundred percent. I think they all are. And they have to live with that.” She added: “The only way they were able to make that movie after what happened was to nostalgia-bait as much as possible.”
The nostalgic return appeared to work, with Scream 7 reportedly becoming the highest-grossing film in the franchise, earning $97.2 million worldwide on its opening weekend. However, Barrera questioned the validity of those numbers, stating: “I think they lied about the numbers. I don’t think it made that much money.”
Barrera’s Gratitude Despite the Controversy
Despite her sudden departure, Barrera remains thankful for her time in the franchise. She starred as Sam Carpenter in Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023). “The reality is that Scream is always going to be a big part of me because it was two years of my life,” she said. “It gave me a lot, and I’m grateful specifically to [directors] Matt [Bettinelli-Olpin] and Tyler [Gillett] who gave me that shot. That hasn’t been soured for me. They don’t have that power.”
Barrera also noted that fans still show their support: “At the stage door, I sign Scream things every night. People who love me from those movies are coming to see the show, and they can’t ever take that away from me.”
