Melissa Barrera, the star of Scream, has given a statement following her departure from the horror franchise.
The actress, 33, played Sam Carpenter in Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023), but she will not return for the following installment, Scream 7.
She was sacked from the next sequel after making social media statements on Israel’s conflict with Hamas.
Although she has not explicitly responded to the claims, she has issued a statement.
‘First and foremost I condemn Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people,’ she wrote on Instagram stories.
‘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.’
The statement continued: ‘Every person on the earth – regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or socio-economic status – deserves equal human rights, dignity, and, of course, freedom.
‘I believe a group of people are NOT their leadership and 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,’ she concluded.
Melissa reshared a message from another Instagram user earlier this month that stated, ‘If you’re wondering how the world watched while genocides and ethnic cleansings happened… this is how.’
Last month, she declared she was from a colonial nation, posted a Mexican flag, and wrote, ‘Palestine will be free.’
In another post written by herself, she wrote ‘Just like all Palestinians are NOT Hamas, All Jewish people are NOT the Israeli Govt. Do not blame, or hate on, a whole group of people because of what some are doing.’
The actress, who has also starred in the blockbuster musical In The Heights and Netflix’s Keep Breathing, also said: ‘Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp. Cornering everyone together, with nowhere to go, no electricity no water … People have learnt nothing from our histories. And just like our histories, people are still silently watching it all happen. THIS IS GENOCIDE & ETHNIC CLEANSING.’
A spokesperson for Scream production company Spyglass said that the studio interpreted Melissa’s comments to be antisemitic, stating to Variety: ‘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 rose to fame with her starring role in the remake of Scream, becoming the franchise’s new face, with Neve Campbell, who played heroine Sidney Prescott, taking a back position in 2022’s Scream before retiring entirely for Scream 7.
Christopher Landon, the director of Scream 7, is reportedly said to have tweeted, then deleted, “Everything sucks.” Please, no more shouting. This was not a choice I made.’
Jenna Ortega allegedly left the Scream franchise owing to schedule difficulties.
The screenplay for Scream 7 is apparently not yet finished, and Jenna, 21, whose exit was reportedly planned before to the actor’s strike, is preparing to film the second season of Wednesday in April.
After Israel retaliated to the October 7 strikes, the battle between Israel and Hamas rages on in Gaza.
The Gaza media office reports that the Palestinian dead toll has risen to 14,532 as a result of retaliatory assaults.
