Here's How Melissa Barrera Found 'Strength' After 'Scream 7' Firing

Following her controversial firing from 'Scream 7,' 33-year-old Melissa Barrera has a new perspective on filmmaking.

In late November 2023, the actress shared several posts about the Israel-Hamas war, which ultimately led to her dismissal from the seventh 'Scream' film.

Spyglass, the company behind the seventh ‘Scream’ movie, characterized Barrera's posts as antisemitic and fired her from the upcoming film.

“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 company wrote in a statement.

The firing came after a post shared by Barrera that read, "Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp. Cornering everyone together, with nowhere to go, no electricity no water … THIS IS GENOCIDE & ETHNIC CLEANSING.”

Another post she shared read, “We come together as artists and advocates, but most importantly as human beings witnessing the devastating loss of lives and unfolding horrors in Palestine and Israel. Please join us in demanding that Congress, @POTUS, and other world leaders call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost."

"We must end the bombing of Gaza, secure the safe release of all hostages, and demand adequate access for humanitarian aid to reach the people that desperately need it," the actress added.

After being fired from the popular horror movie franchise, she landed another gig in the same genre called 'Abigail.'

The movie is directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, two-thirds of the filmmaking team Radio Silence, who also left 'Scream 7' production.

"I'm so happy for Matt [Bettinelli-Olpin] and Tyler [Gillett] coming up as directors because they should be the kind of directors that are the norm in Hollywood," Barrera told Entertainment Tonight. "Everybody wants to work with them and work with them again."

The actress revealed how the new horror film has helped her move on from the firing and has given her "strength to move forward."

"It gives me so much strength to move forward and keep doing great stuff for them, and keep making movies and shows for them and giving them more characters to connect with," Barrera told ET. "I'm very excited about it, and Abigail is the beginning of that. I'm excited to share this with the world. I'm so proud of what we did, and I think Matt [and] Tyler are so good at what they do."

She added, "I think people want to go to the movies and have fun. Sometimes movies are so serious and depressing because the world can be, but sometimes we [just] want to escape and have fun and leave the theater smiling from ear to ear, and I think that's what Abigail is."

The new film stars Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, William Catlett, Kevin Durand, and the late Angus Cloud. It will be released on Friday, April 19.

Barrera told ET that, considering her firing from 'Scream 7' was controversial, she didn't think she would have received the support she had.

"It's been incredible. It was so unexpected," Barrera told the outlet. "For some reason, I did not expect to get so much support and to feel like an army behind [me]. And it was so beautiful. I've gotten the chance to go to conventions since and actually meet the fans and continue to hear from them, the support and that they're with me and that they have my back. It's just so special."

In January 2024, Melissa Barrera, who played Samantha Carpenter in 2022's 'Scream' and 2023's 'Scream 6,' reflected on her firing from 'Scream 7,' claiming it was a "big awakening."

“Honestly, I think I finally am becoming who I’m supposed to be in life, and the last few months have been a big awakening of that,” she told The Associated Press at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. “I’m just so grateful for everything that’s happened.”