Melissa Barrera reacts to 'Scream' exit: 'I'll continue to speak'
A day after being fired from Scream 7, Mexican actor Melissa Barrera has opened up on her exit. She, on Wednesday, took to Instagram Stories to issue a statement, saying that she will "continue to speak out for those that need it most." Barrera was removed from the cast after the makers found one of her posts on the Israel-Hamas War to be 'anti-Semitic.'
Why does this story matter?
Barrera has been sharing posts on her social media handles regarding Israel's attack on Gaza, following Hamas's October 7 attack on the Jewish country. Her online activity didn't go down well with the makers. Earlier, actor Susan Sarandon also had to face the brunt of her comments during a pro-Palestine rally that made her talent agency UTA drop her as one of their clients.
I condemn antisemitism and Islamophobia: Barrera
In her post, the 33-year-old actor wrote: "First and foremost I condemn antisemitism and Islamophobia. 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...," she further wrote in her statement over the posts.
Barrera clarified her stance, but said nothing on the firing
She explained: "I've tried to use it to raise awareness about issues I care about and to lend my voice to those in need." "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," she wrote, while not mentioning a word about her exit.
What post upset the makers and led to her exit?
Spyglass Media Group, the production house backing Scream 7, issued a statement over Barrera's posts saying they "have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate." While one of her posts alleged "genocide and ethnic cleansing," the other was about distorting "the Holocaust to boost the Israeli arms industry." Barrera essays Sam Carpenter's role in the franchise.
