Melissa Barrera Has Been Removed from ‘Scream VII’
Actor Melissa Barrera has been removed from the next installment of the Scream franchise after sharing a series of Instagram Stories expressing support for Palestine.
Barrera, who played a lead role as the daughter of the original serial killer in the two most recent reboots, has consistently posted about the Israel-Hamas war since early October. In her comments, she’s referred to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land as “genocide and ethnic cleansing.” Another post called Israel a “colonized country.”
Per Variety, she also wrote, “Western media only shows the [Israeli] side. Why do they do that, I will let you deduce for yourself” — a statement some have interpreted as hinting at an antisemitic trope about Jews controlling the media. Barrera also reposted a segment of a Jewish Currents piece entitled “A Textbook Case of Genocide,” which referred to violence against Palestinians as a “distortion of the Holocaust to boost the Israeli arms industry.”
Almost all of Melissa Barrera’s IG Stories about Palestine: A thread. pic.twitter.com/DjrbJWt6RQ
— Sam Carpenter TGS stands w/ Melissa Barrera (@OoXLR8oO) October 22, 2023
this is all she said btw pic.twitter.com/pUcTLqOtfy
— jourdain searles (@judysquirrels) November 21, 2023
At the same time, Barrera has explicitly expressed sympathy and support for Jewish people, writing in one Story, “Just like all Palestinians are NOT Hamas, all Jewish people are NOT the Israeli Govt.” Another stated, “You can condemn the Israeli Gov, and the US for aiding them, and still want safety and peace and freedom for Jews around the world.”
On Tuesday, Variety reported that Spyglass Media Group, the production company behind the last two Scream movies, had removed her from the upcoming Scream VII. The company has confirmed to several outlets that Barrera was dropped from the next installment, and said in a statement:
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.
Christopher Landon, who was set to direct Scream VII, briefly addressed the news in a tweet that he deleted soon after, writing, “Everything sucks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make.”
Shortly after Barrera was removed, Deadline reported that her co-star Jenna Ortega had also exited the Scream franchise, apparently for reasons unrelated to Barrera’s departure.
Barrera’s removal comes amid major fallout in Hollywood surrounding the Israel-Palestine crisis, most of it involving public figures accused of antisemitism for criticizing Israeli violence against Palestine. Talent agent Maha Dakhil, whose clients include Tom Cruise and Madonna, was nearly fired for promoting posts that used the word “genocide.” Meanwhile, United Talent Agency dropped Susan Sarandon after she made controversial remarks at a pro-Palestine rally.
Barrera has not commented publicly on the news but has continued to post Instagram Stories criticizing Israel and calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. Contacted for comment, Spyglass directed the Cut to its previously released statement.
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