Matthew Lillard says he feels ‘ashamed’ for returning to Scream 7 after Melissa Barrera firing
Matthew Lillard told a Q&A he feels “ashamed” for rejoining Scream 7 after Melissa Barrera was fired over pro-Palestine social posts, saying he realises he was “on the wrong side of history.”
While speaking at a Q&A following a screening of Scream for its 30th anniversary, actor Matthew Lillard said he feels “ashamed” for returning to Scream 7 after Melissa Barrera was removed from the film over her social-media statements about the Israel–Hamas conflict. Lillard told attendees he regretted not speaking up in support of Barrera at the time and described her as being “on the right side of history,” according to reporting by TheWrap.
Lillard says he regrets rejoining the franchise
Barrera was cut from Scream 7 after pro‑Palestine posts
TheWrap reported that in 2023 Melissa Barrera posted calls for a cease‑fire in Gaza and criticised Israel in its war with Hamas. Shortly after those posts, Scream producer Spyglass said it did not support Barrera’s comments and that it was removing her from Scream 7. The studio’s statement, as reported, said: “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.”
Firing prompted major shake‑up on the film
TheWrap’s reporting notes that the firing triggered wider changes on Scream 7: director Christopher Landon and co‑star Jenna Ortega subsequently left the project. The film’s story was reworked to centre on Neve Campbell’s character, Sidney Prescott, and her daughter, who are hunted by a new Ghostface, according to TheWrap.