Earlier this week, Scream VI star Melissa Barrera was dropped from Scream VII for her comments on the Israel–Hamas war, with production company Spyglass accusing her of "hate speech."
The actor has now issued a public statement addressing the whole situation — or, at least, continued to speak to the cause she was supporting in the first place — for the first time.
According to Instagram Story screenshots obtained by People, Barrera expressed her condemnation of "hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people."
"First and foremost I condemn antisemitism and Islamophobia," she began. "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."
Barrera reiterated that she believes everyone deserves human rights, dignity and freedom, regardless of "religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status," adding that she believes "a group of people are NOT their leadership, and that no governing body should be above criticism."
The actor concluded, "I pray day and night for no more deaths, for no more violence, and for peaceful co-existence. 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."
In the wake of Barrera's removal from the franchise, co-star Jenna Ortega has announced her own exit from Scream VII, reportedly due to scheduling conflicts.
The actor has now issued a public statement addressing the whole situation — or, at least, continued to speak to the cause she was supporting in the first place — for the first time.
According to Instagram Story screenshots obtained by People, Barrera expressed her condemnation of "hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people."
"First and foremost I condemn antisemitism and Islamophobia," she began. "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."
Barrera reiterated that she believes everyone deserves human rights, dignity and freedom, regardless of "religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status," adding that she believes "a group of people are NOT their leadership, and that no governing body should be above criticism."
The actor concluded, "I pray day and night for no more deaths, for no more violence, and for peaceful co-existence. 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."
In the wake of Barrera's removal from the franchise, co-star Jenna Ortega has announced her own exit from Scream VII, reportedly due to scheduling conflicts.
