Melissa Barrera Says She’s ‘So Grateful’ for ‘Scream’ Franchise Despite Firing

Melissa Barrera is keeping things positive after being removed from the Scream movie franchise. In November, Spyglass Media Group — the production company behind the films — fired Barrera following her social media posts in support of Palestine amid the Israel-Hamas war, claiming they have “zero tolerance” for antisemitism.

Speaking to Deadline at Sundance Film Festival last night, Barrera said, “I’m just so grateful on what I got to infuse in the franchise, and that’s also something I’ll be proud of forever.”

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The actress was in Park City to promote another horror film, Your Monster. She recently reunited with her Scream co-stars Jenna Ortega (who also departed the franchise), Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Liana Liberato, Tony Revolori, Jack Quaid, and Skeet Ulrich at the MPTF’s 17th Annual Evening Before Gala.

“We’re family for life,” Barrera told Deadline of the reunion. “If we’re ever in the vicinity of each other, we always find each other and that’s what happened at that event, the Evening Before at the Emmys. We just all found each other. And when we find each other, we just want to spend the night with each other, and nothing is ever going to change that.”

Following her firing in November, Barrera released a statement in an Instagram Story condemning antisemitism, and adding that she would continue to speak on the conflict, writing “Silence is not an option for me.”

“I condemn Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people,” she started her note. “As a Latina, a proud Mexicana, I feel the responsibility of having a platform that allows me the privilege of being heard, and therefore I have tried to use it to raise awareness about issues I care about, and to lend my voice to those in need.”

Ortega’s departure was “apparently not influenced” by Barrera’s firing, though the timing left room for speculation that there might be more to the story. Barrera was set to star in Scream VII after she played the leading role of Sam Carpenter in the fifth and sixth Scream sequels. Ortega played Barrera’s half-sister Tara.

Scream VII director Christopher Landon has also since exited the film. In December, he announced that he had “formally” left the project. “This will disappoint some and delight others,” he said. “It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare. And my heart did break for everyone involved. Everyone. But it’s time to move on.”

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