Mexican actress Melissa Barrera, who starred in the recent ‘Scream VI’, has been dropped from the upcoming ‘Scream VII’ after she posted several messages on social media that were deemed as anti-Israel and pro-Palestine amid the ongoing war between the two regions.
Barrera’s posts sparked backlash from fans and industry insiders
Barrera, who played Sam Carpenter, the daughter of Billy Loomis, in ‘Scream VI’, took to Twitter and Instagram to express her support for Palestine and condemn Israel’s actions in the conflict that has claimed hundreds of lives and injured thousands more. She also shared a petition calling for a boycott of Israeli products and urged her followers to donate to humanitarian organizations that help Palestinians.
Some of her posts included:
- “Free Palestine. Stop the genocide. Israel is a terrorist state. #SaveSheikhJarrah #GazaUnderAttack”
- “I stand with Palestine. I stand with human rights. I stand against apartheid. I stand against ethnic cleansing. I stand against war crimes. I stand against the occupation. I stand against oppression. I stand against violence. I stand against injustice. I stand against silence.”
- “How can anyone justify the murder of innocent children? How can anyone defend the illegal occupation of Palestinian land? How can anyone support the brutal oppression of an entire people? How can anyone ignore the cries of the oppressed? How can anyone be silent in the face of such atrocities?”
Barrera’s posts received mixed reactions from her fans and followers, with some praising her for speaking out and others criticizing her for being biased and uninformed. She also faced backlash from some industry insiders, who accused her of spreading misinformation and hate speech, and of endangering the lives of Jewish people around the world.
Barrera was ‘quietly dropped’ from the cast of ‘Scream VII’
According to sources, Barrera was ‘quietly dropped’ from the cast of ‘Scream VII’, which is set to begin production in early 2024. The decision was reportedly made by Paramount Pictures, the studio behind the ‘Scream’ franchise, and Radio Silence, the production company of directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who helmed ‘Scream VI’ and are returning for the sequel.
The sources claimed that Barrera’s posts were seen as ‘unprofessional’ and ‘irresponsible’ by the studio and the filmmakers, who felt that they could not work with her anymore. They also said that Barrera’s posts could potentially harm the box office performance of ‘Scream VII’, as they could alienate a large segment of the audience, especially in the US and Israel, where the ‘Scream’ movies have a loyal fan base.
Paramount Pictures issued a statement confirming Barrera’s departure from the project but did not mention the reason behind it. The statement read:
“We regret to announce that Melissa Barrera will not be part of the cast of ‘Scream VII’. We thank her for her contribution to ‘Scream VI’ and wish her all the best for her future endeavors. We are currently in the process of finding a replacement for her role, and we will announce it soon. We are excited to bring the next chapter of the ‘Scream’ saga to the fans in 2025.”
Barrera has not commented on the matter yet
Barrera has not commented on the matter yet and has not deleted or edited her posts on social media. She has also not responded to the requests for interviews from various media outlets. Her representatives have also declined to comment on the situation.
Barrera, who rose to fame with her roles in Mexican telenovelas and musicals, made her Hollywood debut with ‘In the Heights’, the film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway hit. She also starred in ‘Vida’, a critically acclaimed series on Starz, and ‘Carmen’, a modern retelling of the classic opera. She was considered one of the rising stars in the industry and had several projects lined up, including ‘Your Monster’, a horror-rom-com-musical, and ‘The House of Flowers, a Netflix comedy-drama.
Barrera’s exit from ‘Scream VII’ marks the first major casting change in the ‘Scream’ franchise, which has been known for its continuity and consistency. The franchise, which started in 1996 with Wes Craven’s ‘Scream’, has featured the same core cast of Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette in all six films so far. Campbell, who did not appear in ‘Scream VI’ due to salary disputes, was rumored to return for ‘Scream VII’, but her involvement has not been confirmed yet.
