Melissa Barrera Issues Statement After Being Dropped From Scream 7

via Instagram / mellisabarreram

Melissa Barrera has issued a statement after being dropped from the upcoming Scream 7 film.

The actor, who plays Sam Carpenter in the most recent instalments of the franchise, was quietly removed from the upcoming movie by Spyglass Media Group following her social media posts criticising Israel for its attacks on Gaza.

Melissa has since issued a statement regarding the decision.

“First and foremost I condemn Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia,” she began. “I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people.

“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.”

She went on: “Every person on this 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 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.”

 

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Spyglass told Variety they dropped Barrera from the film as they viewed the posts as “antisemitic.”

They said: “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.”

Following the news, Scream 7 director Christopher Landon said on Twitter: “Everything sucks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make.”

Jenna Ortega, who is best known for her role as Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s hit series, will also not be returning for Scream 7. According to Deadline, this is due to scheduling conflicts.

• Melissa Barrera
• Scream