Melissa Barrera termination from Scream VII: What happened?

Melissa Barrera was fired from Scream VII over criticism of Israel, part of Hollywood's ongoing Israel-Palestine divisions. Variety reports.

Actress Melissa Barrera has been fired from the upcoming Scream VII film due to her criticism of Israel. The decision to remove Barrera from the film was made by the production company, Spyglass Media Group, after Barrera made social media posts referring to Israel's colonization of Palestine. This has sparked an ongoing fallout over divisions in Hollywood regarding Israel and Palestine.

In addition to her firing from Scream VII, Barrera was also replaced in the upcoming horror film God's Country by Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova. Screenshots of Barrera's Instagram story posts have surfaced, including one where she stated, "I too come from a colonized country," and expressed support for the freedom of Palestine.

Variety reported that Barrera's social media posts also referenced an antisemitic trope about Jews controlling the media. This led to further controversy and discussions about censorship and media bias in relation to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

While Barrera has not released a formal statement about her firing, she has shared posts on her Instagram story that allude to the situation. The firing of Barrera is part of a larger trend in Hollywood, as actress Susan Sarandon was also dropped by her talent agency for comments made at a pro-Palestinian rally. Additionally, Hollywood heavyweight Tom Cruise held a meeting with another talent agency over an agent who was fired for referring to Israel's occupation as a "genocide."

The fallout over Barrera's firing highlights the ongoing debate and divisions within Hollywood regarding Israel and Palestine. It also raises questions about the intersection of social media, activism, and the entertainment industry, as well as the impact of personal views on professional opportunities.