Melissa Barrera, a Mexican actress, has apparently been dismissed from Scream VII due to a series of social media posts she made following the Israel-Hamas war.
The 33-year-old Mexican actress, who joined the popular slasher franchise in 2022, remarked on social media, “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.”
In another post, Barrera said: “As we all wake up to what is (and has been) happening in Gaza and see it for what it is, it is very important to also understand: Just like all Palestinians are NOT Hamas, All Jewish people are NOT the Israeli Govt.
“Do not blame, or hate on, a whole group of people because of what some are doing,” the actor added. “I stand with all those caught in the crossfire. I pray for freedom and peace for you and your families.”
On Tuesday, November 21, sources confirmed to Deadline that Barrera has been dismissed from Spyglass Media’s upcoming sequel due to the anti-Semitic posts.
The insider suggests that Barrera was fired over one post in particular that “floated an antisemitic trope that Jews control the media”. She wrote in an Instagram Story: “Western media only shows the [Israeli] side. Why do they do that, I will let you deduce for yourself.”
When approached for comment, a Spyglass spokesperson said: “Spyglass’ stance is unequivocally clear: 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.”
The news comes as it was reported that Susan Sarandon’s talent agency, UTA, had dropped her over comments she made at a pro-Palestine event in New York City on November 17th.
“There are a lot of people that are afraid, that are 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,” the Thelma and Louise actor, 77, reportedly said.