Melissa Barrera shared her experience after being fired from Scream VII due to her comments on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In an interview with The Independent, the Your Monster actress described how tough that time was and said major acting offers significantly decreased following the backlash.
“It was quiet for like 10 months. I was still getting offers for small things here and there – I’m not going to lie and say there was nothing – but [the message] was, ‘Oh, she probably doesn’t have work, she’ll say yes to anything.’”
Barrera explained about her acting opportunitiesAdvertisement
Reflecting on that period, Barrera further said:
It was the darkest and hardest year of my life, and I had to reevaluate everything. There were times when I felt like my life was over.
Barrera lost her role as Sam Carpenter in the Scream series after posting on social media calling for a ceasefire. Spyglass Media Group, the company producing the film, released a statement saying they had “zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form” and dropped her from the project.
Shortly after, Jenna Ortega also exited the film, citing scheduling conflicts with her Netflix series Wednesday.
Scream VII is now moving forward with original star Neve Campbell reprising her role as Sidney Prescott and Kevin Williamson directing the slasher.
See More: ‘1883’ Star Isabel May to Play Neve Campbell’s Daughter in ‘Scream 7’
Barrera also talked about the “factions” among Scream fans, acknowledging the divide between newer fans and long-time fans of the series.
I think there have always been Scream factions. There are always going to be people that love you and people that hate you, and people that are open to a story continuing, and people that think that continuing it is ruining it. If they want to go watch the next one? Cool. If they don’t? Also cool. You just gotta act according to how you preach. And that depends on what you value, what your morals are, and whether you can separate that from art or not. There are people who can’t listen to R. Kelly anymore, or Michael Jackson, or can’t watch Woody Allen films anymore. And then there are people who don’t care.
she said with a laugh.
Source: Deadline