Melissa Barrera has finally spoken out after she was suddenly dropped from the Scream franchise for calling on social media for a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
In a statement following her firing, the production company behind the franchise said they “have zero tolerance for antisemitism” and accused her of sharing “false references” to “Holocaust distortion.”
When asked about her Scream firing in a new interview with Rolling Stone, Barrera said, “I’m not the first person that’s happened to, but it was shocking. I don’t even know what to say.
“I think everything that happened was very transparent, on both sides, and I know who I am, and I know that what I said always came from a place of love and a place of humanity and a place of human rights and a place of freedom for people, which shouldn’t be controversial,” she continued. “It shouldn’t be up for debate.”
She also doubled down on her call for a ceasefire.
“It’s for the well-being of both sides of that wall, you know? An end to the violence. That’s it. An end to the violence for everyone’s peace and security. Just… humanity,” she said.
Swiftly after her firing, news broke that her costar Jenna Ortega was also exiting the series. The two played the Carpenter sisters in Scream V and Scream VI, where their performances proved to be a big draw for audiences.
Reports at the time claimed Ortega’s exit was already being discussed for months and was in no way connected to Barrera’s firing. Director Christopher Landon also later exited the project.
Barrera did not confirm or deny whether Ortega’s exit was a result of her firing, though she did praise her former co-star, saying, “Listen, Jenna is a good egg. She’s a good person and we love each other. She would show up for me and I would show up for her no matter what.”
The actress maintains that she’s “very at peace” after her exit from the franchise.
“The people who know me in my family know the truth about me and where I stand, and I think most people in the world also do,” she said.
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