Melissa Barrera has come a long way since she was fired Scream franchise and blacklisted from the industry after being accused of anti-Semitism for speaking out about the Israel-Palestine conflict.
In a new interview with Black published on May 6, the 35-year-old actress reflected on the consequences of her “cancellation” and how, as a woman of color with not enough influence in the industry, she was “the perfect scapegoat.”
Barrera made her Scream debut in the franchise’s fifth installment in 2022 as Sam Carpenter opposite Jenna Ortega as her sister, Tara Carpenter. The duo reprized their roles for Scream 6 in 2023, but Wednesday star left the franchise shortly after Barrera was fired.
The Black The interviewer asked Barrera if anyone reached out in support and noted that “at least Jenna Ortega dropped out.” But Barrera’s response was telling. “That’s not the reality of things…” she said while shaking her head.
Barrera explained that while she “got some messages of support from people in the industry,” ultimately no meaningful “action” was taken. “Private messages without action mean nothing,” she noted.
The actress revealed that she went through “ten torturous months” without any offers until rapper Boots Riley offered her a role in his film, I love boosters. Although things have improved significantly for her career, Barrera notes that she is “still blocked from certain places to this day.”
After his firing, Barrera needed a “break from all the bullshit that is Hollywood” and began focusing on Broadway, currently starring in Titanic like Rose.
But that one Scream The franchise continued without Barrera, coming out with its seventh installment in February 2026. But Barrera doesn’t feel like she’s missing out on much. “I know that [it sucked]. And I think they lied about the numbers. I don’t think it made that much money.”
She went on to blast Spyglass Media Group, agreeing that they are “curvy” to bring back original cast members, including Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Matthew Lillard.
“Oh, one hundred percent. I think they all are [scabby]. And they have to live with that,” she said. “The only way they were able to make that movie after what happened was to entice as much as possible with nostalgia.”
