Matthew Lillard Expresses Regret Over Returning to Scream 7 After Melissa Barrera Firing
Actor Matthew Lillard expressed regret and shame during a recent Q&A session for returning to Scream 7 after Melissa Barrera was fired over her political statements.
It all started around October 7, 2023, when actress Melissa Barrera began posting messages on social media expressing support for Palestinians and criticizing Israel, later accusing the country of genocide and ethnic cleansing. About a month later, she was fired from Scream 7 by production company Spyglass, which stated that some of her remarks crossed the line into antisemitism and incitement to hatred.
The firing triggered a major upheaval in the franchise: Jenna Ortega left the film, although at the time her departure was officially attributed to her busy schedule. Subsequently, director Christopher Landon also parted ways with the project, stating he did not want to continue without Barrera, while simultaneously facing online threats and harassment after being mistakenly linked to her dismissal.
Box Office Success and Anniversary
Ultimately, Scream 7 was released last February and became the most successful film in the franchise's history, grossing approximately $214 million worldwide. This week also marked another significant event: the 30th anniversary of the original Scream, featuring a special screening followed by a Q&A session with Matthew Lillard, who played Stu Macher in the first movie and returned for Scream 7.
During the discussion, Lillard was asked about the difficulty actors face when speaking out on political issues, and he replied simply: I don't think it's always easy. I don't know how you can do it any other way. For me, I have queer kids. If I don't stand up for queer kids or trans kids, then what the hell am I doing? If I don't stand up against ICE, then what the hell am I doing?.
Melissa Barrera is a beautiful actress who was fired for what she said after everything that happened in Palestine... and what started to happen in Israel, Lillard said.
Regret Over Returning to the Franchise
Lillard also addressed the criticism he received for deciding to return to Scream 7 following Barrera's firing, admitting that in hindsight he regrets not thinking more about the implications. I went back to do Scream, and I caught flak for it. And I was like, 'Oh, fuck. That's brutal.' I feel bad about it. I'm ashamed of it. Because in that moment I was so excited to come back that I didn't really think about Melissa and the journey she was through. I didn't say no. I'm embarrassed; that's the truth... I screwed up. I'm on the wrong side of history on that one.
Despite his regrets, the actor noted that speaking out and acknowledging uncomfortable truths is a necessary part of personal accountability in the modern entertainment industry.
