Melissa Barrera Is Not Backing Down

After being fired from Scream 7 over comments she made on the Israel-Hamas war, Melissa Barrera isn't backing down.

The In The Heights star led the past two successful Scream reboots, Scream and Scream VI, in which she played Sam Carpenter, the older sister to Jenna Ortega's Tara, who is the daughter of original Ghostface killer Billy Loomis.

She was let go from the latest installment on Tuesday over pro-Palestinian statements made on social media that the production company, Spyglass Media Group, viewed as antisemitic.

On October 7, Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel it said was retribution for worsening conditions for Palestinians under Israeli occupation. Israel then declared war on Hamas and launched hundreds of airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, followed by extensive ground operations. At least 1,200 people were killed in Israel, with many hostages taken, and on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that more than 12,700 Palestinians had been killed so far.

Barrera has been regularly posting to her Instagram account during the Israel-Hamas war, which she has continued to do, even after being let go from the Scream franchise.

Newsweek reached out to a Barrera representative for comment via email on Thursday.

On November 23, she shared a flurry of posts to her Instagram stories. One such post was a quote from singer Nina Simone that indicates why Barrera continues to share her thoughts on the ongoing conflict.

"An artist's duty as far as I'm concerned is to reflect the times," the quote read.

The actor also shared a post in reference to the fact that Israel agreed to daily four-hour humanitarian pauses in northern Gaza. Israel told the United States that it would announce the pauses three hours before they start.

The post said: "Don't let this 'pause' fool you, stop you or confuse you. Ceasefire now, end the occupation forever. Don't stop pushing for [a] real sustained end to this violence. Keep marching, keep calling, keep posting, keep shutting it down."

Barrera also shared a video from the non-profit organization IMEU. In the clip, a member of the press is filming as the bodies of Palestinian people in plastic bags are being buried. Text over the video read: "More than 100 Palestinian bodies are being buried in a mass grave in Gaza. Israel has killed so many Palestinians, they're not even able to get a proper burial."

The 33-year-old didn't end her Instagram Stories there, as she reshared a post from the account @jewishvoiceforpeace. "This moment shows that a negotiated permanent ceasefire is possible. In fact, it is the only thing that will stop this violence," the post said. "Once we have reached a permanent ceasefire, we cannot return to the status quo. We must address the root causes of injustice. A future of peace and justice for everyone, grounded in justice, freedom and equality for all, is still the only option."

Lastly, she shared a post quoting the Government Media Office in Gaza's claim that the Palestinian death toll has reached 14,532, with more than 7,000 missing beneath the rubble.

Barrera's posts led to her being fired from the Scream franchise, and Spyglass Media Group provided a statement to Variety about the decision.

"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," it read.

On Wednesday, Barrera shared an Instagram Story condemning antisemitism, and adding that she would continue to speak out on the conflict.

"I condemn Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people," she wrote. "As a Latina, a proud Mexicana, I feel the responsibility of having a platform that allows me the privilege of being heard, and therefore I have tried to use it to raise awareness about issues I care about, and to lend my voice to those in need."

The actor continued: "I believe a group of people are not their leadership and that no governing body should be above criticism.

"I pray day and night for no more deaths, for no more violence and for peaceful co-existence. I will continue to speak out for those that need it most and continue to advocate for peace and safety, for human rights and freedom. Silence is not an option for me."

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