Melissa Barrera was recently subjected to several headlines after she was fired from the upcoming Scream 7 due to her social media posts. The actress, prominent for her role as Sam Carpenter in the latest two Scream installments was embroiled in a major controversy after her posts were considered antisemitic.
Following her firing from the upcoming slasher flick, the Mexican actress has taken to her Instagram story to issue an official statement. Melissa Barrera didn’t shy away from admitting that silence can never be an option for her.
What did Melissa Barrera say about her departure from Scream 7?
Melissa Barrera joined the Scream franchise in the fourth installment. Her addition to the cast as Sam Carpenter alongside Jenna Ortega‘s Tara Carpenter was one of the main highlights of the movie. The duo worked so well with the audience that they were also cast in Scream VI which was a huge commercial and critical success.
But recently her Pro-Palestinian posts on Instagram stories regarding the ongoing Israel-Hamas war have led to her firing from Scream 7. Spyglass Media Group has deemed her comments to be antisemitic and removed her from the slasher despite the success of her former films. The production company has issued an official statement (via Independent):
“Spyglass’ stance is unequivocally clear: 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.”
Melissa Barrera’s firing caused a stir on the internet and the fans were divided on the controversial decision by the studio. However, the 33-year-old didn’t want to stay silent and issued an official response on her Instagram story.
The In the Heights fame stated that she has always condemned hate for any specific group of people. Like other people, she has always felt the need to raise awareness about the ongoing issue and she will continue doing so.
“I believe a group of people are NOT their leadership, and that no governing body should be above criticism. I pray day and night for no more deaths, for no more violence, and for peaceful co-existence. I will continue to speak out for those that need it most and continue to advocate for peace and safety, for human rights and freedom. Silence is not an option for me.”
On the other hand, with the exit of Jenna Ortega as well, the future of Scream 7 looks very bleak. While the firing of Melissa Barrera already divided the fanbase, further developments are making the movie’s future look less hopeful.
What is the future of Scream 7?
Following the controversial firing of Melissa Barrera, it was soon reported by Deadline that Jenna Ortega would not return to the movie as well. However, it was confirmed that the exit of Ortega was due to her scheduling conflicts with the next season of Wednesday and unrelated to Barrera’s firing.
But with the void of two major attractions from the upcoming sequel, it can’t be denied that Scream 7 is in a big mess right now. Recently the director of the movie Christopher Landon also addressed in a presently-deleted tweet (via Deadline) that the firing was not his decision- “Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make”
Reportedly, the movie’s script is going through a complete overhaul right now and it will not be a lie to admit that the future looks uncertain due to all the latest developments. The absence of Sam and Tara Carpenter is sure to make a lasting impact on the reception of the movie even if it’s completed successfully.
