“I couldn’t be there without feeling unfair”: Neve Campbell Shows Extreme Income Disparity Among Male and Female Actors, Refused To Return For Scream 6 Because They Didn’t Pay Her Enough

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Directed by Wes Carven, the Scream series started in 1996. The movie was hailed for its self-referential approach to horror and for having far more intelligent characters. It starred Neve Campbell as Sidney and Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers.

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Scream
Scream marked the return of Wes Craven to more gory horror movies.

Related: Scream Review: Gory Fun That Honors The Legacy

The movie went to revive the horror genre and resulted in many imitations. Meant initially to play the movie’s final girl, Drew Barrymore was replaced by Neve Campbell who ended up playing a large part in all the future installments.

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Neve Campbell and her future in Scream

After suffering through a studio nightmare, Scream 5 was announced to be returning with the original cast for the fifth installment of the series, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. But, after the recent announcement of Scream 6, Neve Campell has decided to leave the franchise.

Also read: ‘I don’t watch them’: Courteney Cox Explains Why She Doesn’t Watch Scream Movies

Neve Campbell
Neve Campbell was reluctant to return for Scream 5 too as Wes Craven wasn’t the director.

Check out: Scream: How The Franchise’s Worst Death Comes From A Woodsboro Flaw

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Despite her not returning to the franchise, the actor has many exciting productions ahead, including Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer and Peacock’s Twisted Metal with Anthony Mackie. She also starred in the highly successful Netflix show House of Cards before its end.

Discrimination against a female lead

The actor stated in June that she won’t be starring in the next Scream movie. Asserting that she wasn’t given an unfair amount to return for the franchise, despite working very hard in her career and featuring as the franchise’s lead in many of the installments.

You may also like: Scream Fans Are Losing It After Jenna Ortega Confirms Scream 6 Will Have ‘The Most Violent Ghostface Ever’

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Neve Campbell
After Scream, Neve Campbell declined to star in horror movies for fear of being typecast

Commenting on the discrepancy between the pay that male and female leads get, she felt undervalued. She considered that to be another reason for her not returning and stated to People magazine:

“I honestly don’t believe that if I were a man and had done five installments of a huge blockbuster franchise over 25 years, that the number that I was offered would be the number that would be offered to a man.”

Read more: Actors You Totally Forgot Were In The Scream Movies

Further, the actor recognized the love and support the fans have given her and the franchise for over 25 years, stating she will be forever grateful to them, but she has to move on.

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Scream 6 is expected to release on March 31 of 2023.

Source: People

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Written by Nikhil Makwana

Articles Published: 271

Nikhil Makwana is a writer for FandomWire, with interests in DC comics, anime, indie films, independent films, and Nicolas Cage. He’s pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in BBA,LLB from IFIM Law School. When he’s not writing, he reads books such as the classic Dune series and existential essays from Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre.