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Currently pursuing a film career with a passion for film journalism, storytelling of any kind has allowed me to let my imagination run wild in ways even I couldn’t predict. Expect me to write about film, TV, and the entertainment industry.
Following several posts on Instagram stories, Spyglass Media Group – the production company behind Scream and Scream VI – has removed Melissa Barrera from the seventh installment in the franchise.
“Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp. Cornering everyone together, with nowhere to go, no electricity, no water… People have learnt nothing from our histories. And just like our histories, people are still silently watching it all happen. THIS IS GENOCIDE & ETHNIC CLEANSING.”
Melissa Barrera
The news first broke through Variety’s November 21st, 2023 print issue, later confirmed by SlashFilm. Variety and SlashFilm both report Spyglass dropped Barrera for anti-Semitic comments. They claim she suggested the Israeli government and the Jewish people are controlling the media. The actress stated on her social media that she had only been searching for information regarding the Palestinian side of the Israel-Hamas conflict for several weeks, but was unlucky.
“Usually the algorithm on social media gets the gist,” Barrera wrote. “Well… My discover page on IG will ONLY show me videos showing and talking about the Israeli side. Censorship is very real. Palestinians know this, they know the world has been trying to make them invisible for decades. Keep sharing.”
Other Similar Cases to Melissa Barrera’s in Hollywood
Barrera’s removal from the upcoming still-in-development title, Scream 7, comes in a series of concerning attempts in Hollywood at silencing people’s support of innocent Palestinians in the current Israel-Hamas conflict. The Hollywood Reporter published a story regarding Susan Sarandon being dropped by her agency, UTA. The Oscar-winning actress attended a pro-Palestine rally in New York City, where she spoke about Jewish people’s fear of being victims of antisemitism in America. Similar to the fear Muslims have lived through for many years.
“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, so often subjected to violence.”
Susan Sarandon
Variety also issued an article where they talk about Tom Cruise’s involvement in defending his agent Maha Dakhil. She was relieved of her duties as co-chief of the motion pictures department at the CAA agency. The decision was made after Dakhil posted on her Instagram: “What’s more heartbreaking than witnessing genocide? Witnessing the denial that genocide is happening.” Cruise visited Dakhil at her CAA office to show support for his agent.
What Will Happen to Scream 7?
UPDATE: After initially refusing to comment on Melissa Barrera’s firing, Spyglass Media Group has released an official statement on the situation.
“We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech.”
Spyglass Spokesperson
Christopher Landon – director of Scream 7 – commented on the controversial removal of Barrera in a now-deleted post on Twitter/X. “Everything sucks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make,” he wrote.
Christopher Landon, who had previously helmed Happy Death Day and Freaky for Blumhouse, was brought to direct Scream 7. This came as a result of both Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett dropping out of the project earlier this year. The film was in early development since the WGA strike prevented a script from being written. Scream 7 is now expected to undergo significant changes due to Barrera’s firing, as well as rumored scheduling conflicts with Jenna Ortega’s obligations to Beetlejuice 2 and Wednesday season 2.
We will keep a close eye on this as the story develops.
Currently pursuing a film career with a passion for film journalism, storytelling of any kind has allowed me to let my imagination run wild in ways even I couldn’t predict. Expect me to write about film, TV, and the entertainment industry.
This article was edited by John Tangalin.