Melissa Barrera speaks out after ‘Scream VII’ departure: ‘Silence is not an option’
Melissa Barrera in 2022 in Las Vegas.
By Lisa Respers France, CNN
(CNN) — Melissa Barrera is speaking out after being let go from the production of “Scream VII.”
The actress has been one of the recent stars of the slasher franchise and was expected to be in the next installment. But that is no longer the case following previous social media posts she made about the war between Israel and Hamas that the studio behind the the film characterized as antisemitic.
When reached Thursday, a spokesperson for Spyglass directed CNN to the following statement about Barrerra’s departure.
“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 statement reads.
CNN has reached out to representatives for Barrera for additional comment.
On Wednesday, Barrera posted a statement on the Instagram stories portion of her account, after the news broke of her departure from the “Scream” franchise.
“First and foremost I condemn antisemitism 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.”
She continued by writing, “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 her statement. “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.”
Instagram stories expire 24 hours after posting.
Barrera starred as Sam Carpenter in both 2022’s “Scream” and this year’s “Scream VI.”
The-CNN-Wire
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