Melissa Barrera Says “Scream ”Costar Jenna Ortega Was 'Very Supportive' After Her Firing: 'Sisters for Life'
“We’ll plan little reunions to play board games because that’s what we used to do when we were shooting,” said the actress
Melissa Barrera have a sisterly bond, both onscreen and off.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published Thursday, Barrera, 33, touched on her firing from the Scream franchise and how much she has appreciated her support from her former costars in the aftermath.
Jenna Ortega played Barrera's character Sam Carpenter's younger sister Tara in Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023), and she exited the next film just one day after news of Barrera's firing. Barrera said, "We chatted for a while, and I love her so much."
"She’s been very supportive of me, and we’re sisters for life," she added of Ortega, 21.
Barrera was let go from Scream VII in November 2023, after posting about the ongoing Israel-Hamas war on social media.
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Related: 'Scream VI' Star Melissa Barrera on Marriage, Hardships and Knowing Your Worth
At the time her firing was announced, Spyglass, the studio behind the films, said in a statement that it had "zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form."
Barrera said in a statement after that she was using her social-media platform "to raise awareness about issues I care about and to lend my voice to those in need," and added, "I condemn Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people."
News broke the following day that Ortega had also left the project, though the Wednesday actress's departure was reportedly not connected to Barrera's exit.
Then, in December, Christopher Landon, who had been named Scream VI's director in August, announced he dropped out of the film. The filmmaker referred to the project as "a dream job that turned into a nightmare."
Related: Melissa Barrera Says Her Scream Firing 'Was Shocking' at the Time: 'I'm Very at Peace' Now
Barrera declined to comment to THR about whether she and Neve Campbell had spoken about the latter's recently announced return to the franchise.
Campbell, 50, revealed earlier this month that she was "so excited to announce" that her character Sidney Prescott would be back for Scream VII, with franchise creator and original screenwriter Kevin Williamson on board as director.
After first playing Sidney in the 1996 film Scream and returning for each of the sequels except the 2023 sixth entry, Campbell revealed in 2022 that she'd made the "very difficult decision" to not return for the sixth film due to a contractual disagreement.
As for Barrera, despite her exit, she still hangs out with her former cast mates, including Ortega, plus Jasmin Savoy Brown, Liana Liberato and Jack Quaid.
“We’ll plan little reunions to play board games because that’s what we used to do when we were shooting," she told THR.
About her potential return to the franchise, Barrera (who reunited with the directors behind 2022's Scream, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, on the new film Abigail) told the outlet, "I’ve learned to never say never, but also a lot of things would have to happen for Sam to come back. For now, next page, next chapter, and then we’ll see what the future holds."
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