Melissa Barrera has broken her silence after being dropped from the production of "Scream VII."
The actor, known for her role in the slasher franchise, was set to appear in the next installment. However, she was let go after posting comments about the Israel-Hamas conflict on social media in posts that the studio behind the film, Spyglass Media, considered antisemitic.
"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," a spokesperson for the studio said in a statement to Variety earlier this week.
Shortly after news of her departure from the "Scream" franchise broke, Barrera released a statement via Instagram addressing her comments.
"First and foremost I condemn antisemitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people," she wrote," according to CNN. "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."
She continued, "Every person on this earth … deserves equal human rights, dignity and, of course, freedom. 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."
She concluded, "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."
A day after it emerged that Barrera had been let go, her co-star, Jenna Ortega, exited the "Scream" sequel. It was later clarified that this was due to scheduling clashes with the filming of the second season of her popular Netflix show, "Wednesday," in which she portrays Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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