Melissa Barrera Blasts Scream 7, Jenna Ortega & ‘Scabby’ Co-Stars

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In 2023, actress Melissa Barrera was let go from the Scream movies after publicly discussing the conflict between Israel and Palestine. She described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” and voiced her support for Palestinians. The studio behind Scream 7, Spyglass, labeled her comments “antisemitic” and announced she wouldn’t be in the next film. Now, more than two months after the movie’s release, Barrera is finally sharing her feelings about the film and her former colleagues.

In a recent interview, Jenna Ortega didn’t hold back when discussing the issues surrounding the latest Scream movie. She agreed that Scream 7 wasn’t a strong film and even suggested the reported box office numbers were inaccurate. She also felt it was inappropriate for other actors from the Scream franchise to participate in the sequel.

After hearing criticism that Scream 7 wasn’t good, Barrera acknowledged the film’s shortcomings and questioned the reported box office numbers. Despite this, he focuses on the continued support from fans of the Scream movies, many of whom attend his shows and ask for autographs, which he values deeply.

Barrera definitely thinks it was wrong for other actors from the franchise to return for the new movie. She believes they’re all aware of that, and have to deal with the consequences. She feels the film only succeeded by relying heavily on nostalgia to attract viewers.

She also didn’t believe Jenna Ortega left Scream 7 to support her. Instead, she felt abandoned by her former co-stars, who she said didn’t publicly defend her. While acknowledging Ortega’s departure, she insisted that wasn’t the full story, explaining that she didn’t feel supported by anyone involved with Scream. She only felt genuine support almost a year later when rapper and filmmaker Boots Riley contacted her, which was the first time someone in Hollywood had reached out.

Barrera said he received a lot of supportive messages, but quickly realized that words without action don’t really help. He held onto hope, believing someone would eventually offer him work, and after ten difficult months of uncertainty and financial hardship—even questioning the loyalty of his team—it was director Boots Riley who finally reached out. In August 2024, Riley messaged him about a role in his new film, offering a much-needed lifeline.

After Barrera was offered a role in I Love Boosters, she began receiving offers from other filmmakers. Unfortunately, she had to decline the part due to her leading role in the Peacock series The Copenhagen Test. However, she’s thankful to Riley for the initial opportunity, as it seemed to spark a wave of new possibilities for her career.

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2026-05-06 20:06