Melissa Barrera Says 'Scream' Exit Was a 'Great Awakening in Life'
Melissa Barrera is looking on the bright side after her exit from the Scream franchise.
“Honestly, I feel like I'm finally becoming who I should be in life,” Barrera, 33, told the Associated press on Friday, January 19. “And the last few months have been a big awakening to that.”
Despite being let go from the film, the actress said she was “grateful” for “everything that happened.”
Barrera, who starred in the latest series Scream films, was let go from the franchise in November 2023. The Hollywood Reporter reported at the time that Barrera's resignation came after she posted pro-Palestinian messages on her social media amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Spyglass Media Group, the company behind the films, later have clarified their reasons before Barrera's departure in a statement Varietywrites: “Spyglass' position is unequivocally clear: we have zero tolerance for anti-Semitism or incitement to hatred in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, distortion of the Holocaust, or anything that blatantly crosses the line exceeds the limit of hate speech.”
Shortly after the news broke, Barrera broke her silence on her departure and cleared the air about her comments.
“First and foremost, I condemn anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I condemn any form of hatred and prejudice against any group of people,” she wrote via her Instagram Story at the time. “As a Latina, a proud Mexicana, I feel a responsibility to have a platform that gives me the privilege to be heard.”
Barrera explained that she wanted to use her platform to advocate for “issues” she cares about and lend her voice “to those in need.”
In the meantime, Scream VII director Christopher Landon revealed that he was not involved in Barrera's controversial firing.
“This is my statement: 💔Everything sucks. Stop shouting. This was not my decision,” he shared in a now-deleted post via X. (The following month, Landon announced his own departure from the franchise.)
After Barrera's departure, her costar was announced Jenna Ortega also would not return to the Scream films due to her Wednesday filming schedule.
Although Barrera is no longer involved with the Scream films, she still maintains a good relationship with her cast. Barrera, Ortega, 21, Skeet Ulrich, Jack Quaid and others were reunited at the Evening Before Gala earlier this month.
“If we are ever around each other, we always find each other and that is what happened at that event,” Barrera told Deadline on Thursday, January 18, from her costars who she called her “family for life.” “When we find each other, we just want to spend the night together, and nothing will ever change that.”