Why Melissa Barrera feels ‘grateful’ after being fired from ‘Scream 7’

Melissa Barrera is counting her blessings.

After being let go from the Scream franchise for her views on the Israel-Palestine conflict, the 33-year-old actress figured it was for the best, anyway.

Speaking to the Associated Press at the Sundance Film Festival Thursday for the premiere of her new film, Your Monster, Barrera admitted that being fired was a blessing in disguise.

“Honestly, I think I finally am becoming who I’m supposed to be in life, and the last few months have been a big awakening of that,” she reflected, adding that she’s “just so grateful for everything that’s happened.”

When Barrera was initially fired from the horror franchise in November 2023, the studio Spyglass noted in their statement that they held “zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form.”

Prior to her firing, Barrera posted to her social media, “First and foremost I condemn Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people.”

Swiftly afterwards, her Scream co-star and on-screen younger sister Jenna Ortega also departed the project, though her decision reportedly was not connected.

Then, director Christopher Landon also dropped out of the film, calling it a “dream job that turned into a nightmare.”