Melissa Barrera fired from Scream 7 for pro-Palestine posts as Jenna Ortega also exits
Los Angeles, California - Melissa Barrera, the star of the recent Scream revivals, has been fired from the upcoming Scream VII movie due to several social media posts the production company has deemed hate-inciting and antisemitic.
The decision to remove Barrera from the Scream franchise was made by the production company Spyglass Media Group, who released a statement saying they have "zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form."
Barrera's controversial posts on social media were related to the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, and according to Variety, the company alleged that one of her Instagram stories perpetuated a trope that Jewish people are in control of the media.
"I have been actively looking for videos and information about the Palestinian side for the last 2 weeks or so, following accounts etc. Why?" her post read. "Because Western media only shows the other side. Why they do that, I will let you deduce for yourself."
In other posts that have surfaced, the 33-year-old actor compared Gaza to a concentration camp, calling the war in the Middle East "genocide" and "ethnic cleansing."
On Tuesday, Barerra addressed the firing with a simple photo post declaring that she would rather be excluded for who she includes than included for who she excludes.
Christopher Landon, who is set to direct Scream VII, reacted in a since-deleted tweet, saying, "Everything sucks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make."
Following Barrera's firing, co-star Jenna Ortega has also apparently dropped out of the upcoming sequel, yet sources claim it is unrelated to the axing.
Jenna Ortega exits Scream franchise after Melissa Barrera is fired
Though many fans believed she would depart from the company in solidarity with Barerra, Deadline reported on Wednesday that the 21-year-old's exit was related to her filming schedule for season 2 of Wednesday and was discussed before the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Barrera's firing has also drawn attention to many other celebrities who have been criticized or even fired for their own statements surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict.
On Tuesday, actor Susan Sarandon was dropped from her Hollywood talent agency after giving a speech at a pro-Palestine rally in New York City, per Page Six.
"There are a lot of people afraid of being Jewish at this time and are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country," she said at the rally.
Barrera's firing has been criticized heavily by fans, with many pledging to boycott the horror sequel due to the controversy.
Cover photo: Collage: ANGELA WEISS / AFP