According to a new report, the 'In the Heights' star was sought after by the studio in an effort to repair the broken bond between them, but she refused to comply with the studio's wishes.
- Dec 18, 2023
AceShowbiz - Melissa Barrera is not compromising when it comes to her political stance. The actress, who was cut from "Scream 7", also written as "Scream VII", due to her pro-Palestine posts, reportedly almost got a chance to return to the franchise, but she passed on it.
According to a new report by Critical Overlord, Spyglass Media Group has made an attempt to make peace with the actress. The 33-year-old was allegedly sought after by the studio in an attempt to repair the broken bond that existed between her and Spyglass after the firing incident became public knowledge.
However, as the outlet notes, it didn't go well for Spyglass, who allegedly didn't have their wishes respected. The studio reportedly demanded that Barrera publicly retract her support for Palestine and condemn anti-Semitism, but the actress "stood her ground."
Following Barrera firing, the studio reportedly has tapped two stars to appear in the next installment of the slasher film series, but the details are not shared just yet.
Spyglass confirmed in November that Barrera was dropped from the cast for the upcoming movie due to her posts about the conflict in Middle East. "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," the company said in a statement.
"Scream VII" director Christopher Landon lamented the actress' exit, claiming that he had no power to make the decision. "This is my statement: Everything sucks," he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make," he added in the same tweet, which has since been removed from his account.
Breaking her silence on the firing, Barrera posted on Instagram on November 22, "First and foremost I condemn Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people."
Doubling down on her controversial posts, the 33-year-old explained, "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."
"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," she insisted, before concluding her statement by saying, "Silence is not an option for me."
Jenna Ortega, who played Barrera's on-screen sister in 2022's "Scream" and 2023's "Scream VI", is also not returning for the new sequel. Though it's said that her departure had nothing to do with Barrera's firing, the "Wednesday" star has shown her support for her former co-star by liking celebrities4palestine's post that read, "Melissa Barrera Stands Her Ground After Being Dropped From Scream For Speaking Up For Palestine."
